This Kingdom We Protect
by Sky Slayer
Summary: A valiant sacrilege is necessary to stop the ashes from falling to the ground.
1. Binding of An Angel

**A/N: Well, let's do this! Welcome to my first multi-chaptered jerza fic. I cannot wait to go through with this and I have so many ideas and asdfghjkl; **

**Fun Fact; original plot would've had Jellal fucking around with Ultear behind Erza's back, but she would've known and pretended it didn't hurt her. BUT I CAN'T DO THAT TO MYSELF SO NO. **

******Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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**Chapter 1: Binding Of An Angel**

___**"She'd bind herself for her kingdom."**_

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It was a moonless night, the darkness in Magnolia spreading like spilled black ink through the abandoned streets. For the first time in months, they had been granted a night of peace, with no enemies flocking their homes and ripping away their wives and children. For once, the citizens all thought in relief, the royals and the council had some time to get their act together.

It wasn't that they blamed their king and his council, no; they were extremely grateful. A single citizen was yet to die despite the length of the war, which was surprising to say the least. Soldiers, however, have died in countless droves, but that couldn't be helped. The enemy had a vast array of monsters that they could waste and Magnolia was extremely small to begin with. Despite it's size, however, it's strength knew no bounds. Their generals and warriors were strong, and the rumours about their bountiful armours and spells and magics would never stop being formulated.

Up upon the Fairy Hills, stood the castle, home of the royals, the council members and everyone and anyone associated with them. The castle gave off a warm vibe, much like the warriors themselves when they weren't on the battlefield, and stood tall and proud among the small, scattered villages that surrounded it.

"They've pulled back for some reason," the prince, Laxus Dreyar, began. His voice was hoarse, having only been used for yelling out orders for the longest time, and his eyes were bleary. Sleep was a luxury they could no longer afford. He fought every night and every day for a long, long time, ensuring the castle's safety and the safety of their people through the power of his lightning. Using his lightning, he'd protect; never again would he harm those he loved. Time and time again, Mira would tell him the past was the past, but it still haunted him. "I think we should be worried. Double the security for the night, send out our best."

His wife, Mira, put a hand over his clenched one soothingly, but her own blue irises gave away her worry over the matter. She knew how tirelessly her husband and family worked themselves lately, as monster after monster made its appearance within the kingdom's grounds. How that was, nobody knew yet; extremely powerful dark magic must be at work for such an occurrence to happen and for them to not be able to predict it. "I agree, they have something planned. We can only hope we are still strong enough to stop them from harming our citizens."

"Grandfather," Laxus continued, gazing at the king with a look of pure hidden meaning. He relished his wife's warmth, letting it envelope him and help him keep a clear, calm mind. He was fighting for his people, and more specifically his family; failure was not an option. "I shall go out on guard duty, and see how close to their borders I can get. I am positive they are using some sort of dark magic to block us all out and hide themselves. If we can figure out the trick to their magic and disable it, our chances will increase tenfold!"

Makarov, the now solemn king of Magnolia, glanced at his grandson with concern; the boy hadn't had sleep in weeks, maybe even months. He knew that everyone at the table right now, royals and council-members alike, were exhausted both mentally and physically. Natsu had been severely injured the night before, and seeing Lucy's tears over her fiancees condition had broke his heart. All of the castle's inhabitants were his children, blood-related or not, and seeing their pain caused him pain.

"Your Highness, if I may speak," Gray Fullbuster spoke up. Being one of the core members of the council and apart of the closely-knit group of friends here in the castle, the fact that they were being bested and injured by such monsters caused him great frustration. He knew of their strength, and it was immense, so how in the world were they losing? "This war has escalated at a rapid pace, and it has reached the point where even within the castle walls we are constantly worrying about the safety of our wives and children," he glanced at Juvia, taking in her pregnant state and worried look, "is there no allies we can call upon to assist us?"

Makarov linked his fingers together, linking them and letting his chin rest atop. He knew, tonight, he had to tell them of the deal that had put onto their plates, but could he really let her go? To a monster, no doubt? "They have all turned away and shunned us because of our hopeless chances, unfortunately. And who's left...well, they are lacking in numbers and are sorting themselves out."

Gajeel, one of the newer members of the group, slammed a fist down on the table. He too, like Gray, was angered by the fact their wives were constantly getting put into danger. They had to leave the castle everyday for hours upon end; how were they to know if their wives were injured? Or, god forbid, killed in a raid? There had to be some way to put his mind to ease! "Damn it, are you fucking kidding me? We've done so much for them and those...those...pansies are just running!?"

Levy sighed softly, not even bothering to correct her husband's use of inappropriate language, because this time around, it was completely appropriate. Yet she knew there was nothing she could ever do about his foul tongue but stop him from swearing around their future children. She knew he was simply angry with the fact that they were in so much trouble, midst the war and whatnot, but yelling and swearing wasn't going to help with anything. Why couldn't he see that? Thinking back to the scrolls she had been reading earlier that day, she remembered something she had wanted to ask the king at the meeting, something that could possibly mean help for their kingdom. "Your Highness, what of Sorciere? Have they chosen a side yet?"

"Those cold bastards?!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping out of his seat in his anger. He detested their king with all his might; their only meeting hadn't gone well. Natsu's first impressions were usually spot-on, and they were hardly ever wrong. He had been raised to see underneath the underneath, and with Jellal the underneath was all darkness and deceit and even further down was simple more darkness and lies. "May I remind you of what a womanizing asshole their king is?"

Erza glared at her childhood friend, silently telling him to sit down to which he complied, grumbling under his breath. She knew he had a short-temper that was explosive, but this was too much, especially considering how much stress everyone was attempting to handle. Natsu's anger, though, was really the least of their issues. "Although I agree with Natsu, I think they really are our last chance, Your Highness. Any chances of an alliance with them?"

The king was silent, pondering to himself as to how he could reveal their predicament to the fierce redhead. She was, at this time, the only one who could save them all, yet he didn't want to burden her with such a job. She was an angel with purely white wings, her essence filled with innocence, and to bind her down with chains would be the greatest sin of all. Yet he knew he couldn't make the decision for her, because in her eyes that would be even worse.

"There...has been word," he began to speak, catching everyone's attention. Natsu cried out in disapproval, Erza straightened up and was watching him with sharp eyes, and the others, too, were watching him like a hawk. The words weren't coming to him, and again, he heaved a sigh. It seemed like, at the moment, his old age was finally starting to catch up on him, creeping up behind him and filling his essence with tiredness and exhaustion. "I don't believe you'll like it though," he sighed.

"C'mon old man! Spit it out!" Natsu was dying to see what the bastard had told his king, and was completely oblivious to the suddenly tense atmosphere. The door had been opened, yet no one had stepped inside. Lucy, who had been sitting on Natsu's left, contemplated getting up and shutting the door again, because, really, it had to have been wind, right? However, at the same time, she was wary has to what could be waiting on the other side of the door. The others seem to be stalling, too; nobody moved towards the door.

"Really, Dragneel, you should have a bit more respect for your king," an unfamiliar, masculine drawl sounded through the room, causing all their conversations to stop. Again, they turned to the door, and were shocked to find a vaguely familiar figure standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame in the most carefree manner they'd ever seen in a while. Considering the war had been stretching on for months, 'carefree' wasn't a word they even considered using anymore.

The new arrival was draped in a heavy, black cloak and was wearing a smirk on his lips; it was the king of Sorciere himself, Jellal Fernandes. Natsu, now speechless, fell back in his seat, still glaring at the bluenette. Said man moved further into the room, the candlelight from the dozens that were lit flickering ominously. Almost as if someone in that room was about to have their fate sealed. Little did they know at the time, that was what was exactly going to happen.

"A womanizing asshole, hmm?" Jellal continued to speak, letting his eyes roam the faces of the room's occupants, searching for one face in particular. That one face that had been haunting him since he'd caught a glimpse of it, what seemed like ages ago. Finally, he found it, and he let his eyes roam her form hungrily. Scarlet locks of hair framed her perfectly shaped face, full of colour and life. Continuing south, he took in her bountiful assets and rounded hips, ending at her legs that seem to stretch on for miles. "That's a bit judgmental, don't you think?"

_She'll do, _he thought to himself with yet another smirk._ Who was she to agree with her pink-haired idiot of a friend? _

Erza had been eyeing the newly arrived king with distaste, uncomfortable with how he was running his eyes down her body. Suddenly she wished she was in her armour, and not one of her favourite gowns. The deep burgundy gown was sleeveless and backless, and had a small trail, and the neckline was cut deliberately low; low enough for Jellal to get quite an eyeful. The lacework on the corset was detailed, the front of the skirt opened up as a curtain would, revealing the black underskirts that were cut in a similar fashion to make it look like the dress had ruffled added onto it.

"So, have you told her yet, Makarov?" Jellal turned his attention back to the old man, waiting for a response. Of course, he knew, that the old man had not told them yet, and had been secretly hoping he'd help them without taking one of their princesses. _Fat chance. _She was to be his and his alone. For some unknown reason, the very thought of another man touching her sent his mind into a turmoil of pure rage. He couldn't help it; she was so intoxicating that there was no words for it.

"I was getting around to it, Jellal," Makarov was, again, tired of the world, and the people in it. This man was purely using blackmail to get his hands onto one of Makarov's precious people, and he hated the fact that he had no choice but to play along and see what the gods had in restore for his children, or more one child in particular. She didn't deserve this, but there really was no other choice. He had to keep repeating to himself one person wasn't worth the kingdom, and that that one person was the strongest woman he knew. She'd survive, she _had _to survive.

"Tell us what, Grandfather?" Laxus didn't like the way the bastard had been eyeing his little sister-like figure, and his whole body was tense with barely containable rage; the man just wanted to punch the cocky king in the face so hard his ancestors would feel it. Mira, too, was openly glaring at the young king with a look of mistrust, to which there was no reply. Jellal was used to it all, being who he was with the kind of personality and attitude he harboured.

"Jellal here has...kindly offered his kingdom's support for one of our own's hand in marriage."

The uproar those words brought on was nothing short of catastrophic. He watched, chuckling internally, as they all reacted differently to the predicament; Laxus, Gray and Natsu all jumped out of their seats, roaring questions at their king. Gajeel had actually cracked the table, and was contemplating throwing the broken piece at the sly bluenette who was watching them all with a look of sadistic humour. Levy and Lucy had both their hands covering their mouth, their shock taking over. Mira and Erza, on the other hand, were struggling to control themselves, but Erza was fighting fear at the same time; the kind of fear that crept up on you and tried to strangle you from behind.

She was the only one in this room unmarried and not promised to someone else.

"As some of you can already tell," Jellal spoke over the noise, his arrogance making a reappearance, "there's only one woman in this room who's available for such a commitment."

"No!" Laxus roared, his anger getting the best of him. "I won't allow this! Grandfather, we don't need this bastard's help to take out Ivan!"

"We're not handing over Erza!" Natsu raged whilst agreeing with Laxus, his fire bleeding and burning the air around them. Hand over Erza to a sick bastard like this? She _was_ one of the strongest people he knew, but at the same time, he just couldn't! There was something in Jellal's eyes that was intimidating him, almost as if he knew exactly what he wanted with Erza and to Natsu, it didn't seem like it was any good intentions.

"Your Highness," Levy spoke up hurriedly. "Think of it this way; by handing over Erza, you're handing over one of our best warriors! Won't that be affecting our chances?"

Jellal grimaced. Could they not see they had already lost this battle? "But you're gaining another militia. I think that compensates for one woman, yes?"

In return to his words, everyone, save for Erza, gave him an incredulous look. Did this man legitimately believe that a militia made up for the loss of Erza goddamn Scarlet?

"Let's get this straight, Fernandes," Natsu snarled, stomping over to where the man stood and pointing a finger at his face. "Erza has the strength of 1000 militia, and the elegance of the world's best dancer. She can't be replaced, and I swear to the gods if you toy with her, I will _break _you!"

To back up his point, the other men in the room, save for Makarov, cracked their knuckles, glaring over at Jellal, who simply gave them a sly smirk. He knew of the brother-sister relationship she shared with all of them, and he knew he had to be wary of them all; they'd go to hell and beyond to keep her safe.

"At this point, your words don't matter to me, Dragneel. I'm waiting on your answer only, Erza," the name rolled off his tongue in the most appealing way, exciting him more than it should've. Said woman was staring at the wall, lost in thought, but at the sound of his voice, she turned back to him, rising out of her seat with determination etched on her pretty features.

"Erza, you don't have to-" Gray hurriedly gave his sisterly friend a reason to say no.

"I'll go," her voice was steely, hiding any emotion away from her family. She really, truly did not want to marry a man she didn't love, but for the sake of her loved ones and her kingdom, she'd gladly do it. She'll bear the pain of separation and the pain of a loveless marriage for them a thousand times over if it could bring back the lives lost already in this war.

She'd bind herself for her kingdom.

Jellal smirk widened. "Perfect."

Out of his cloak, he pulled out sheets of parchment. She got up, walking to his side, rereading the agreement, and signing where she had to with the quill Makarov provided her with.

After she was done, he nodded, giving one set of the agreement to Makarov and putting the other back into his cloak. "Let's go."

"What?!" Lucy, for the first time that night, spoke up. The shock that had only taken over her friends for a short while had taken her over completely, and up until that moment her mind had been a blank, white canvas. "She hasn't packed her things nor as she said goodbye to the court! Juvia doesn't even-"

"My carriage is waiting outside and we must depart tonight if we are to have any hopes of returning to my castle safely. I can provide her with clothes and necessities," he cut her off before she could try and persuade him into letting Erza stay another night. "Now, shall we, milady?"

Erza walked over to the door, absentmindedly fingering the pendant that hung from her neck; it was a heart made out of all the birthstones of her closest companions; Laxus, Mira, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Levy, Juvia and Gajeel. They would always be with her, no matter how much distance separated them. They had to win this war, and their victory was riding on her decision; she'll do her damn best to make them proud.

It was too much; those in the room who had known Erza the longest knew, from the shake of her shoulders, she was trying not to cry out or scream. Lucy stumbled out of her seat, tears already dripping down _her_ face, and raced over to her friend, throwing her arms around her frame and hugging her close whilst sobbing. One by one, the others joined in on the hug, before it was just Jellal standing in the doorway, looking anywhere but the small group of people all in tears, save for the woman who was leaving. Words were being exchanged, but nothing reached his ears but the soft voice of his Scarlet as she reassured them; would she ever talk to _him _like that? The way that-

Shaking his head, he shoved the bitter thought out of his mind, growling at himself for losing himself in a moment of weakness. A minute later, she was walking at his side, her friends trailing behind them to send them off. They reached the front doors, and the guards standing around opened them for them, eyeing the group with confusion.

Unlike earlier, there was now rain pouring down in sheets, soaking them the instant they were outside. Jellal, of course, had his cloak, but Erza's dress was instantly sopping wet and clinging to her curvy form. Hurriedly, she walked down the path after her husband, and together they made it to the carriage.

Like the true gentleman he most certainly wasn't, he opened the door and held it open for her, waiting for her to climb in. Sending one last, longing gaze at her family, she picked up her skirts and stepped in. When she settled herself in the farthest corner, he climbed in afterwards, telling the driver to step on it and closing the door after himself.

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It had been an hour, and they were now on the outskirts of town, thundering their way down the road. Her dress was still soaking wet, and she was shivering as quietly as she possibly could. At least, that's what Jellal thought; the way she sat in the corner looking dejected and depressed was starting to make him uncomfortable. Not to mention even in the darkness of the carriage he could tell she was extremely cold.

It was the first sneeze, however, that made him sigh and move over to where she sat, taking off his cloak and revealing the long-sleeved, dark blue shirt he wear underneath. It hugged his lean form tightly and was surprisingly comfortable despite how stiff it appeared.

Knowing she had no choice, she remained silent as he wrapped the heavy cloak around her, his masculine scent attacking her senses almost immediately and trying to seduce her. She forced her mind to go blank, welcoming the warmth with gratitude. But he didn't stop there, no; lifting her up, he pulled her into his lap and held onto her, looking down at her face to catch the fleeting expression of confusion, fear and weariness.

"A sick wife is of no use to me," he told her coolly, not wanting her to suddenly believe he was a warm and compassionate person. He most certainly was not...not anymore...and with good reason. Shaking his head, he pushed back the suppressed memories for what seemed like the millionth time. He would _not_ let those memories control him. Now was not the time for him to be recalling such depressing thoughts, not when he had a job to do.

He'd make them proud.

Erza froze, taking in his words, and could only hope he didn't mean what she thought he meant. Now warm in his arms, she stared out the window, praying to whoever was listening that she'd make it out of this alive. She knew, however, that she'd have to give it her all if she were to make her family proud and make her sacrifice worth it, because this man...something was off about him.

Not as in he was an enemy, no...but in a sense in which it felt as if he was secretly extremely sad, and as if he were hiding his past from the world. Really, though, nobody knew how the man had come to throne; the story went that his father gave him the crown on his deathbed.

Erza didn't doubt the story, no, but she did feel like there was more to it. Either way, she'd dig up the past and find out the truth, just as Natsu, Lucy and Gray would expect her to. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do.

She'd make them proud.

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**A/N: Review with your opinions? :) What do you think Jellal is hiding about his past and these 'memories'? What do you think awaits them in Sorciere? Hoping this lived up to your expectations, until next time!**

**PS: I hope to keep up with this story and provide art of all of Erza's dresses HOPEFULLY. No guarantees though.**


	2. Within These Castle Walls

**A/N: Jesus Christ, I'm glad so many of you guys are joining the story already! Thank you for the lovely reviews, they all made me smile :) By the way, there were a few people who actually came pretty close to _parts_ of what happens to Jellal [and co.] in the past. I won't say who, though, because I don't want to spoil anything. Muwhaha.**

******Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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**Chapter 2: Within These Castle Walls**

******_"I've never seen him look at someone like that in a long, long time."_**

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They had reached Sorciere by day break.

Sometime during the night, between the awkwardness and the comfortable warmth the cloak provided her with, Erza had dozed off, only waking up when Jellal had been shaking her and telling her they'd be at the castle in less than five minutes. Setting Erza down shortly after (something he'd never admit was that whilst she was asleep he had accidentally pulled her closer), he glanced out the window at the comforting sight of the sun rising over the hills to their right, illuminating the rooftops of the villagers' homes. His kingdom was his everything, and he'd do anything to protect it.

Erza watched him with surprise as an absentminded smile lifted his lips, a smile she hadn't seen before. Granted she had known the man for less than a day, rumour had it he was a cold, ruthless man. She had yet to see this 'ruthless' side of him; all he really had done so far was take her away from her family without remorse. Again, her mind wandered over as to why he'd want her for a wife; she understood his desire for some sort of profit from an alliance such as this...but a wife?

"Your highness," she began quietly, tilting her head to a side. He turned at the sound of her voice, startled by the fact there was no hostility in it whatsoever. Was she not upset at him for bringing such a fate upon her? Already this woman was completely different from the 'suitors' his sister found for him, and he was, again, excited by something so small.

"I understand," Erza continued, settling against the wall of the carriage to become a bit more comfortable. His piercing gaze was burning her in more ways than one and she was becoming increasingly nervous, "that with an alliance as risky as this one you've made with my kingdom, you'd want something in return, but...why a wife?"

"It was easier, and really the only thing your kingdom could offer me," he answered immediately, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to reveal any of his real intent, because that could mean disastrous consequences for all the parties involved. He didn't want Erza to get ensnared in the web of lies and deceit he was forced to live in, and he'd hurt her if that was the only way to keep her out of it. It wasn't the best solution, but it was the only solution.

"But wouldn't you rather fall in love than tie yourself down into a loveless marriage?" Erza inquired. She was puzzled as to why he'd do that to himself, and she was always the one to ask her questions rather than keep them to herself. Yet this was a question, thinking back, that she really shouldn't have asked.

Upon her words, Jellal's nostrils flared, and he narrowed his eyes into a glare, before moving closer and making a sudden grab for her chin. She cried out in shock, eyeing him with confusion over the sudden change in atmosphere and mood, and he smirked down at her. A sadistic look played his features, and there was no stopping his following words.

"Listen here, _sweetheart. _Love is the most useless emotion out there. A strong king doesn't need anymore than a _whore_ to bear his children," his smirk grew at the shock etched across her features.

She had been staring at him for a good minute, glaring and trying to comeback with a good retort, but she was at a loss for words. Who did he this he was to call _her _a whore? She was a virgin for goodness sake!

"Well I apologize, King _Fernandes_, for trying to act civil. I _apologize _for attempting to get to know my new husband," the words came out as a snarl filled with venom and fury. The nerve of the man! Was it always going to be this hard to have a civil conversation with him?

He stared at her for a second longer, not knowing that they had ended up laying down on the seats with his form overpowering hers in size but not in logic. He knew he shouldn't have snapped at her, but the memories she had already brought up with nothing short of painful. Before he could make up for his blunder, the driver called out that they had arrived at the castle and he was suddenly shoved up against the other side of the carriage and he was getting a healthy dose of the creamy skin of her back and then she was gone.

Swearing vigorously under her breath, Erza got out of the carriage as fast as she could, clenching her fists and glaring at the ground. She knew that she wouldn't be comfortable not happy immediately, but this was worse than she thought it would be! Did the king have to be such a...a...an _asshole_?! At this rate, she didn't know if she'll survive or not.

"Ah, would you happen to be _Mrs_. Fernandes?" A teasing voice brought her out of her reverie. Turning, she came face to face with a dark-haired woman, would stood on the path with a smile gracing her lips. She blinked, not knowing who this was and how she was to respond, but nonetheless she nodded. Immediately, the woman grinned even more and came closer, clasping her hands and shaking them.

"Oh, it's nice to finally meet you! Dear lord, we all thought Jelly would _never _f-"

"Ultear, sweetheart, you're going to scare her," a masculine voice sounded before 'Ultear' was pulled out of her breathing space. Whoever spoke up had been reading her mind and she released a breath of pure and utter relief. The woman had appeared nice enough, but she had been scaring the living daylights out of her; had she never heard of personal space?

Offering a shaky smile to this Ultear, Erza turned to silently thank her saviour, and was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face.

"Lyon!" She cried in surprise, reeling backwards and blinking twice at the spiky-haired man. "Is that you?"

Lyon, too, copied her actions, before his own lips stretched out in a smile. "Well if it isn't Erza; I thought I recognized that pretty red hair!"

Ultear blinked, watching the exchange between old friends with warm eyes and a smile as they gave each other a hug, telling each other how much they've changed and things that had stayed the same. She knew that when he had to, Lyon's move to Sorciere was a sacrifice on his part, and for him to see a familiar face again might bring him some more people to talk to. Of course, he hid his discomfort at first like a true gentleman. Erza had already expressed her anger, and Ultear knew her brother had said and/or done something to piss off the redhead. "Do you two know each other?"

Erza was the first to pull away, her joy still evident on her features. Seeing old friends alive and well always cheered her right up, because that meant this war hadn't won. And it wouldn't win, so long as there was someone, anyone, left standing and fighting for the right causes. "We go pretty far back, I guess you could say. I still remember him chasing after Juvia!"

"Oh? And who is this 'Juvia', dearest _husband _of mine?"

Erza was surprised, and racked through her memory for any mention of his marriage as he laughed nervously, reassuring his wife that yes, Juvia part of his past and he was done with her. "Lyon, you're married? There was no ceremony?"

He nodded. He remembered the day well; both Ultear and Jellal had come to their castle and explained their situation to the royals and the council. In the end, it had been decided to marry off Lyon to the princess in order to ensure the alliance was to never break under the pressure of greed or blackmail. "Well, it was the same sort of circumstances as yours, I presume, Erza. Lamia Scale was affected pretty badly by the war, and I offered to marry Ultear to forge an alliance. Anyways, how is everyone back in Magnolia? Juvia is being properly taken care of by my ice bastard brother, I presume?"

She laughed. She could only imagine what Gray would say to the insult; no, he wouldn't necessarily _say _much, but more so pound Lyon into the ground and freeze everything in a 50 kilometre radius. The fights between the duo brothers she'd witnessed had been dangerous, and she remembered one fight in particular where they had frozen all of Lamia Scale's castle over solid; thankfully, she had been out of the castle when that happened. "Yes, well...they're married and expecting a child very soon."

Jellal stood by the carriage, watching the exchange with curious eyes. He knew that at some point, he had to apologize to his newlywed, but he felt as if he brought it up now his brother-in-law would chew off his ear; just how many people did she _know_? He had bristled when the duo had shared a hug for a reason he did not know of. Truth be told, a voice inside of him had been snarling for him to take back what was rightfully, by law, his, but he refrained, not wanting to cause a scene five minutes into the meeting. That, and the fact he didn't know where in hell that voice had come from; hadn't he called her a whore mere minutes prior?

Ultear turned, finally facing her younger brother with a smirk playing her lips. She had been watching him through the corner of her eye since he'd stumbled out of the carriage and froze, staring at what had been the embracing duo at the time with a look of pure rage and dare she say jealousy. _So, they're already off to a bad start...expected of Jelly, _she cackled to herself. Moving closer to him, hoping that the other two were too caught up in their conversation to hear them, she began speaking. "So, this is the girl you pined over? Quite a looker, I must say."

Sharp eyes found her own, and a glare like never before befell. She wasn't fazed, though; this was the look that he gave most people nowadays. So far, the only one to have never seen that look before was Erza, and Ultear wondered if she ever would. Despite her little brother's anger and coldness towards what seemed like everyone (again, Erza's face came into her mind), he ruled with a calm and just mind, never letting his personal feelings get in the way of his kingdom. Of course, that may be changing... "Whatever you're about to say, sister, I suggest you don't. I know where this conversation is going I rather not hear it. Not now, not _ever_."

"Welcome back, Jellal," Lyon smiled over at his brother-in-law, his own thoughts in sync with his wife. He knew of Jellal's infamous rage, and had been on the receiving end of said rage one too many times, but he also knew of Erza's fiery stubbornness. They were in par, both in skill and mind, and this was a battle he couldn't wait to observe from the side. A part of him, though, was worried about what state the castle would be left in after they were done with it.

Jellal stopped glaring at his she-devil sister, and turned to his brother-in-law, offering him a nod of acknowledge and a lilt of his lips. Lyon and Ultear had an arranged marriage, too, but they had found love almost instantly, sparks flying as soon as the duo had entered their own, private carriage. He remembered his anger when he had opened their carriage door to find them passionately kissing, and the fit that had followed on his part. He had been happy for his sister, though; he hadn't wanted her to fall into a loveless marriage. Against the better part of his mind, he wondered if he'd ever find such bliss with his own wife.

Considering she was glaring daggers at him, he figured it wouldn't be anytime soon. Sighing, he realized he had mistakes to make up for. Yelling at Erza was not a part of his plans, but, per usual, his anger had bested him and he'd snapped. "Lyon, Ultear, I'd like a word with Erza, if you may. Start walking please, we'll join you at the castle doors."

They nodded, shared a look, and joined hands, before walking ahead, their hands entwined as they no doubt discussed the castle's new couple. Jellal walked over to where Erza stood, looking anywhere and everywhere but him, and he hesitantly took her hand in his. She jumped, a little thrown off by his sudden softness, and memories of their conversation in the carriage ride came back to her immediately. With difficulty, she shoved them down and waited for him to start speaking. _He's your husband, hear him out._

"I...apologize for the way I acted in the carriage," he began, scratching his head and starting down the path. She followed, waiting for him to give her some sort of reason, and so he did. "I shouldn't have brought your innocence into the question because by gods I don't know that much about you, and I shouldn't have snapped. But, I _would _like to get to know you because I did pull you into this agreement."

"It's fine, Your Majesty," she accepted the apology, knowing he was being sincere. Being a warrior of her calibre and one of Magnolia's best, she had developed certain skills such as how to tell when someone's lying and before honest. It was not only handy on the battlefield, but in real life, such as in this case. "I guess I shouldn't have brought the subject up so insincerely. I believe this was both of our faults."

He had veered them off the main path, she noticed, and they were now walking between two lines of fully-grown sakura trees, their branches touching and blending into one another, the leaves falling softly as their time came for them to depart and land on the ground. She made an audible gasp, watching in awe as the pink leaves fluttered and danced in the wind before falling gracefully to the ground.

He watched her, surprised hitting him _again _as he took in how beautiful she looked, bathed in the filtered sunlight that streamed through the spaces between the branches and the pink petals falling around her, some getting caught in her hair. She was a vision of ethereal beauty, and she was all _his. _Of course, that was only by law; it was going to take some work before he could have some insight of her heart. He'd do that, too, if it was the last thing he'd do.

"I do have one request, at the moment," he spoke up, glancing over at his wife. She was watching him intently, the gleam in her eyes nothing short of attentive. "None of this 'Your Majesty' nonsense; you are my wife and are to call me by my name. Agreed?"

She let loose a breathy laugh, immediately intoxicating him. No matter how long she was by his side, he'd never get tired of that sound. He knew that it would always be one of her prevailing characteristics, to him at least. "Of course, Yo-er, Jellal."

He chuckled, and they continued down the path. The daisies and tulips that had been placed under the sakura trees were in full bloom, their aroma filling the air with a sweet smell that he wished he could've feasted off of. Unwillingly, his mind conjured up the thought of what Erza's creamy skin tasted like. Shaking his head, he berated himself and pushed the offending thought out of his mind. "Now, we really don't know anything about each other. How about we answer each other's questions?"

She nodded, a soft smile adorning her lips. She, too, was admiring the flowers and the sheer beauty of the pathway they were exploring, enjoying the scent and the warmth of the sun beating down on her skin in a comforting way. It was a sure sign of spring blossoming once again throughout their land. "Sure. So, what's your favourite colour?"

"Red."

She met his gaze and blinked, reddening slightly at the intensity of his gaze. Was there a double meaning to those words or was she over thinking the situation? Lost in her thoughts, she missed his eyes travelling down her form. For the second time, Jellal found himself running his eyes over her perfect form, taking in every curve. Damn it, she was so...angelic in a seducing way; his mind was going haywire.

"Oh, er-"

"Jellal!" Ultear's voice broke them out of the trance, startling both of them and causing them to jump five feet into the air. They turned and looked back, finding Ultear running towards them with fear in her eyes. Her cream-coloured dress' layers flapped in the wind wildly as she ran at them as fast as she could. _I'm ruining their moment, god this is bad! I'm dead when Jellal gets me alone._ "Jellal, there's trouble!"

He started, his walls flying back up in less than a second, and he strode over to Ultear, accidentally dragging Erza back with him. His anger was on the rise yet Ultear knew there was nothing, at this point, that she could do to calm him down. Only later could she hope that Erza had the ability to calm him down, something nobody else in the castle, at this point, had. "It's Zeref again, Jel. He's in the throne room waiting for you."

"What happened this time?" He spat out, giving his sister an impatient look. At this point, the trio was jogging back to the castle. Erza's hand was still in Jellal's grip and he was squeezing it hard, almost to the point where the bones were cracking, but she and he both paid no heed. There was a larger issue at hand.

"It's best not discussed where there could be prying ears, brother." They both knew of the recent infiltration attempts.

"Erza," Lyon's voice was quiet and urgent, and she turned towards her friend. When he had come outside, she didn't know, but she was confused about what was going on around her. Who was this 'Zeref'? No doubt an enemy, for Jellal to get so worked up over it. "Come with me, Jellal and Ultear will deal with this."

"But-"

"No 'but'!" Jellal's roar was abrupt, and she turned to see his eyes alive with a fiery emotion she couldn't dare decipher. He'd be damned if he'd let Zeref anywhere near _his _Erza, and he knew Ultear felt the same way about Lyon. Now, especially, wasn't the time for an argument! He had heard rumours of Erza's fiery stubbornness but this was his castle and they played by his rules. And by that, he meant she would never, _ever _meet with Zeref with him willing. "Lyon, take her to my bed chambers. Make sure she is safe or _I will cut your fucking head off_. Not a hair on her head should be misplaced, clear?"

Ultear and Lyon watched, their mouths hanging open, as Jellal reached over and roughly pulled Erza against him, resulting in her body slamming against his own as her hair fluttered in the wind, before he put a soft kiss against her forehead, and a murmur of 'stay safe'. Just like that, the moment was over, and the king was running towards the main doors of his castle, shortly followed by Ultear who gave a similar farewell to Lyon.

"Wow, Erza," the man spoke to her as they themselves ran up to the front doors, albeit at a much slower pace. The duo was long gone, the doors left open for their partners. Jellal had, never in the time Lyon had been here, ever shown such a display of affection towards anyone. Granted he never even talked with his previous suitors, but...this was completely different from the man's normal actions. "You've been here less than a day and you're already shaking up the normal."

Said woman's mind was still blank from the sudden display of affection from the seemingly cold man. What had _that _been? Nobody had ever told her he had a caring, protective side, for crying out loud! This man's bipolar behaviour was giving her a headache, and all she wanted was a warm bath. Of course, she could only hope to unravel what was her husband's complexity, but now was not the time. There was bigger problems they had to deal with, and she would not be childish and request a bath in the middle of it all. "Lyon, we have to help them!"

He shook his head, giving her a warning look. He still remembered the first time he had attempted to help them during a crisis, and had the scar to prove it actually occurred. "They are very prideful, Erza, and you will soon come to realize this. They don't let the people they care for get involved with the dangerous stuff here in Sorciere. Of course, it's particularly bad for me, considering she's my wife; as the husband, I should be protecting _her_, not the other way around."

"Sexist bastard," she mumbled, heavyhearted, earning a chuckle from the man. He remembered the first time he'd met the redhead, when she, Gray, Natsu and Lucy had come to Lamia Scale to help with the war that was tearing up kingdom after kingdom. She had been breaking up a fight between the two men whilst Lucy laughed. The group truly was inseparable so he knew how much of a sacrifice Erza had made when she agreed to come all the way out to Sorciere for her kingdom's sake. She was, really, a remarkable woman.

"But seriously Erza," he continued. "I've never seen him look at someone like that before in a long, _long _time."

She fidgeted as they slowed to walk, entering the castle. it was grand, and draped in warm hues of red and gold. The ceiling arched high above their heads, the window panes tinted with the kingdom's insignia. It was a truly beautiful layout, and she couldn't help but remind herself, numbly, that this was her new home. "Did he...have a lover?"

"No. It was much, much worse what happened to them both," he sighed. Still, he vividly remembered the night Ultear had told him. There had been tears, sobs, and he could barely do anything more than offer his warmth. Nightmares had followed for weeks, and both he and Jellal had been greatly affected by her change in attitude. Thankfully, she was back to normal. "Don't force the conversation out of him, Erza. It took Ultear quite some time before she told me."

"Is it that bad?" She inquired, her eyes still taking in the castle. She could only, at this point, wonder what had affected Jellal so badly that he completely shut out the emotion of love, but she knew, through Lyon's tone of voice, that it wasn't something she herself should bring up. Again, she regretted bringing the topic up in the carriage. He had every right to get angry, but of course calling her a whore was unnecessary.

"Yes, it really is," Lyon's eyes turned sad. He knew that the pain of the event had left scars all over both siblings, and he also knew that there had never been anyone to heal Jellal's the way he was there to heal Ultear's. He and Ultear could only hope that Erza was the one to do that, and possibly get him back to the way he was before. "But..."

"But?" They were now climbing the stairs, maids from all directions bowing quickly to Lyon and offering her a curious look and a smile. She was a little unnerved by the fact that they already had an idea of who she was, or if they were just that friendly. Lyon threw in that it was the latter.

"It could be fixed, it would just be extremely hard."

She was confused. Why would it be extremely hard? But before she could ask why, he opened the door to what could only be Jellal's chambers. Only after they had stepped in did she realize what this actually implied.

"Eh?!" She whirled on Lyon, her eyes uncharacteristically filled with panic. "I'm sl-sleeping in here?!"

He laughed. He knew the woman of Magnolia were extremely sheltered, but nonetheless it was still amusing to see the fearsome Titania reduced to a quivering mess of nerves and fright. "Well, you two are married..."

Erza had a feeling she was going to be a mess later on that day, when the time came to sleeping in the same bed as a man she knew, really, nothing about. Oh, Mavis, have mercy.

* * *

**A/N: Whew, that was fun writing. Lyon and Ultear was always a crack ship I supported. :) A little, teeny weeny bit of fluffy Jerza if you squint and turn your head sideways but...yeah. I hope you enjoyed, things pick up [I think] next chapter, so hold on to your hats and have the buckets for your tears and feels ready! Uh, I think the chapter will for sure include Jellal, Ultear and Zeref's 'meeting', Jellal's reaction to his OOC moment with Erza, and I hope to introduce a few/one of the villains. Any guesses as to who's up first? I'd love to see your thoughts in a review, until [I think] next week! **


	3. Arguments and Angered Warriors

**A/N: You guys are ACTUALLY the best. The response to this story so far has been crazy, and thank you all so much for your lovely reviews! They fuel me and keep me going with my writing, so thankthankthank you! :D And I hope you enjoy this chapter, because BAMF, angry Erza, oui? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Arguments & Angered Warriors**

**"And now, I introduce to you, Deliora!"**

* * *

Jellal and Ultear were running through the maze-like hallways that made up their castle, both of their minds filled with preoccupying thoughts. Ultear's were all of how much Erza had already started changing her brother for the better, and Jellal's of the moment of sparks that had happened between himself and his wife.

He still couldn't comprehend why he did what he did; he simply felt as if it suited the moment perfectly. A spur of the moment action, you could say. It had felt right, too, when she was in his arms and they hadn't been fighting or arguing about something trivial. Sparks had flown, and Jellal had been blinded by the sheer perfection and warmth the redhead provided him with. Warmth he hadn't let himself experience in quite some time, especially after the accident. Like a chain of dominoes tumbling down one after another, his old personality crumbled and made way for his new, colder attitude, yet this charismatic woman was bringing it back, putting the pieces back together.

He knew it would the last time he could allow himself to show her any form of kindness past this point. He knew he couldn't let her finish the puzzle that was who he was prior to the accident.

Originally, his plan had been to get her to hate him right from the beginning, force himself to do unsavoury things if necessary, but...then he had really, truly, met her. More than a glimpse, like what he had based his plan off of. She was a fighter, through and through, yet at the same time she was so, _so _much more than that. He'd, of course, heard of rumours of the unstoppable council Magnolia possessed, but this wasn't what he expected. He had also expected the woman to cling to him and purr, like most of the damned suitors had. Instead, she held her ground against his harsh words, glaring at him and beating him down with words rather than her hands.

She was truly amazing. A woman, for sure, but at the same time she wasn't a mindless bimbo. She was someone who's presence commanded you, earning your respect without having to do anything. She was the type to get heads to turn once she walked into the room, and she would make an amazing queen, because along with her confidence and power, she had a heart of gold and a kind smile that could win over anyone, him included.

By now, they'd reached the throne room, and were walking into it, their thoughts being reeled in and a stoic look cloaking their features. Their clothes shrouded them, Jellal's cape fluttered behind him as he strode powerfully into the room, his back straight and his head held high; he was a king, and right now, he had his kingdom to protect. Immediately, the raven-haired man observing his throne caught his attention, and his eyes narrowed whilst his mouth furled into a snarl. The man had always been a problem, but now his violent assaults were becoming a constant.

"What are you doing here, black magic mage? You were exiled for a reason, and be that you are allowed around my kingdom's borders, you most certainly are not allowed within them," he snarled, stopping a few steps in front of the man. His jumbled thoughts and the pain of closing himself off again fuelling his anger. Zeref knew, watching the younger man, that something, someone, was bothering him, and smiling airily. In the end, he'd be victorious; the world will pay for shunning him and his power. _He _was the strongest, and that damned Mavis will pay for her tomfoolery that had him exiled in the first place.

Yet at the same time, this voice inside his head cried out in protest, telling him it was his fault and he shouldn't be attempting to take over the realm. No, it was telling him to stop and retreat before he hurt anymore people. He told the voice to shut up, closing off his thoughts and eyeing the duo in front of him again, a smirk playing his lips. Everything would fall into place, and all of Fiore would burn.

"Why, Your Highness, I simply came by to wish you congrats on your recent marriage," he cackled internally at the look of pure anger and shock on their faces, relishing the negativity flowing off them. The king was trying hard not to attack him, he noticed with a sly look, and continued on, "Erza Scarlet, what a catch, hm? You might want to be careful, or she may, ah...be taken away from right under your noses. Or even _worse_, ravaged by hands that aren't yours in a place where you won't be able to hear her _screams_."

To say Jellal was livid would be a severe understatement, Ultear noted. Her brother's hands were clenched, his teeth bared, and a demonic aura like she'd never seen before surrounded his essence. She, too, was bristling at the threats made, but she knew of Erza's obvious strength that the woman displayed even when walking, and she was pretty sure Jellal did too. He had to, didn't he? So why was he so angered...? Reflecting, she realized that any man would be angered beyond a point of return if someone with the capability of raping their wife bluntly stated it to their faces. She returned herself to the conversation.

"Not only are you making a direct threat to Sorciere's queen, Zeref, but you're also threatening Magnolia. I suggest you leave now unless you want you want your immediate death." Jellal's tone was ice-cold, colder than Ultear thought possible. His anger leaked off his very form, scaring the handful of servants walking about. They knew of their king's infamous anger, but had never witnessed it firsthand until now.

"Oho, Your Majesty, don't believe I won't carry out my threat if you don't give me what I want," the evil mage smirked again, before turning and walking towards the other doors at a leisurely pace. He knew he was holding the perfect blackmail over the younger man's head, for already Magnolia's warrior princess had won over some portion of his frozen heart. "Oh, and Ultear, dear? You might want to start worrying about how late you stay out; you never know who's waiting for a chance to see how silky your beautiful hair really is, hm?"

Jellal growled and stepped forward threateningly, but was stopped by Ultear's hand grabbing his own, a silent warning for him not to cause a scene. They needed to discuss what the mage was after, not blindly attack him and cause god knows what. And so, the siblings watched what was probably their biggest threat stroll out of the room, laughing to himself to whole way. _These fools will never know what hit them, _he thought to himself, _especially since their precious king has his mind full of a certain redhead...everything is going according to plan, hmm. Dreyar was going to be pleased with the new developments._

"Jellal, you should keep an eye out for Erza," Ultear spoke worriedly. Turning away from the doors that slowly closed as any evidence of the black mage disappeared behind the burgundy wood. "I really do think Zeref wasn't kidding about his plans."

He grit his teeth, dropping into his throne and running a hand through his hair. When did it become so hard to rule? "I know, but..."

"But?"

"It's nothing, never mind."

He knew that if he told his sister of his plans involving Erza, she'd instantly disapprove, and would even _tell_ Erza of what he planned to do. And he simply couldn't have that happen, no matter how desperately he wanted Erza to know he didn't hate her...but what had to be done, had to be done. He'd protect his kingdom, his people, at the cost of their potential love.

* * *

Lyon had excused himself shortly after he'd shown Erza where all the clothes were kept in Jellal's room; apparently, Jellal had been ready. She bid him farewell and sorted through the dresses, surprised by the beautiful, intricate designs and the pretty colour schemes. Jellal had, according to Lyon, handpicked the dresses for her, which came as a surprise now; he really did have great taste.

At the sound of the door opening, she blinked and hurried back into the bedchamber, eyeing the door with curiosity to see who it was. It was, as she initially guessed, Jellal, yet...Erza could tell something had gone wrong. His eyes expressed his wariness, and the anger he'd probably felt a while back was still ebbing away. Ignoring her presence fully, he brushed past her and started disrobing, ridding himself of the cloak and the heavier material. The end result was him in nothing more than his dark-blue shirt and a pair of black pants, and he slid onto the bed with a sigh.

"Jellal...?" The woman was unsure of what had happened with this so-called 'Zeref', but it couldn't have gone well. The tenseness of his shoulder muscles was enough to intimidate her, and that was saying something. The woman was never intimidated by anything, on and off the battlefield, so seeing her husband so angered was a new feat. So was being intimidated. "Is everythin-"

"Shut up," his sharp reply stopped her words before they finished, the cold iciness of his voice startling her. She took a step backwards, blinking a few times at him whilst feeling her heart drop into her stomach. What had exactly gotten into him? This wasn't the same Jellal as from the courtyard earlier. "Your voice is extremely annoying."

She stared at him for another moment, unsure of how to digest what he had just say; what the hell? Had they really gone from smiling and laughing, to possessiveness and tenderness, to putting up walls around themselves? To be so cold, harsh, with each other? Was he really falling back on petty insults again, as he did in the carriage? "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you wench," he stood back up, advancing on her shaking form and smirking. "I was simply testing how easy it would be to reduce the great Titania to a mess of quivering heat, hm? I should take back my apology, you really _are _a whore aren't you?"

She was now glaring at him full-on, her anger rising up like bile. Who was he to judge her? _Again_?! "I suggest you shut your mouth before I get angrier, Fernandes-"

"Your kingdom should be ashamed," he continued, desperate to get on her bad side. In his stride, he didn't notice the way she froze up, her anger causing her form to go stiff. He simply barrelled along, ignoring his own pain and disdain at insulting the woman. He had to, he had to, _he had to_. "Raising a whore like you-"

She slapped him.

Panting, she stood there, shaking from suppressed anger while he fell back a step, the force of her abuse sending him reeling. It was in that moment, by taking just a glance at the sheer rage displayed on her porcelain features, that he realized he'd taken it a step too far. _Way _too far; insulting her beloved family was clearly out of the question, and god damn it his cheek hurt like a bitch! Could she really hit that hard with such soft, tiny hands?

"I can take it if you were to blabber on and on about myself," she hissed, pointing a finger at him and advancing. "But say one ill word about my _family _and I will tear you to pieces. Agreed, _Your Majesty_?" The title was spat out like poison, leaving a nasty taste in her mouth. By now, she was beyond the point of caring what he did to her; his opinion of her was apparently set in stone, seeing how he repeated it time and time again.

"Who are you to-"

"_Erza_!" Lyon's panicked shout stopped him in his tracks, causing Jellal to grit his teeth and pause mid-sentence. He had no doubt in his mind that if Lyon had heard the things he was saying to Erza, the man would corner him and attempt to beat him to a pulp. Though, they both knew, the king was stronger than the ice-mage. That wouldn't stop him from trying, though.

"Lyon?" Her composure was back, as quick as it went. She didn't want her friend to see her anger, for it would simply worry him and she didn't want that. The only one who was to burden this pain was herself, and she'd be damned if she let anyone else suffer with her. Her pain was hers and hers alone, and possibly Jellal's simply because the idiotic imbecile was asking for it.

"Erza, Gray just sent me a message," right off the bat, she knew something drastic had happened, for Lyon never called his brother by his given name, "Juvia had been taken overnight!"

Right away, she felt her footing on sanity slip away as his words settled into her head, a painful ringing echoing through her ears. _No...no... _"Lyon, pray tell you that you are lying."

Lyon's sad eyes found her own, crazed ones, sharing her distress. The water-mage meant something to the both of them, and it was hurting him to know that she had been taken. It was worse for Erza, however, because she was even closer to her. "I wish I was, Erza. He told me to tell you not to go after them, and that he simply wanted you to kno-"

"Bullshit!" Erza cried, not caring for the tone of voice she was now using. Both Lyon and Jellal jumped, startled by the sudden outburst. "I can't just sit around while Juvia's locked up in god knows where!"

"They have a location, Erza," Lyon tried to console the woman, reaching out to grip her upper arms with a firm yet gentle grasp. He knew she cared deeply for her friends, but running blindly into what was almost definitely a trap was outright stupid and he'd be damned if he let her. Or, would he? He knew she was right, that they'd most definitely kill Juvia whenever they wanted, and that Gray wouldn't get to her in time. What was he to do, really? Let the woman run out on a rampage and destroy everything in her path per usual, or try and restrain her, possibly costing Juvia and an unborn baby their lives? "They'll get there as fast as they can, we'll just have to sit tight and wait for news of their conquer."

"Where?" Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument. She knew that they wouldn't make it there in time if it was far, because she knew her enemies wouldn't wait for them. They'd kill her in no time, and that just wasn't going to happen. Not with her around. "Tell me and spare me the trouble of rampaging down the streets in search of her, Lyon. You know what I'm like when I'm angry, I'll leave nothing unscathed."

"On the outskirts of Sorciere, but Erza-"

She was out of both his grasp and the room and running down the hallway before any other of the men could protest, her skirts flying up in a frenzy of reddened silk. Down the stairs, out the door, she raced down the cobble-stoned paths as fast as she could, leaving her anger behind as it ebbed away to give room to worry for the bluenette woman that was pregnant.

Jellal had watched the ordeal go down, wondering why Erza had been so worried. To the best of his knowledge, all the members of Magnolia's council were extremely strong, so why did it matter? If anything, it was this 'Juvia' person's fault for getting caught. Again, however, he had unnecessarily bristled when Lyon had gripped her arms, consoling the woman. That annoying voice in his head had been insisting for him to take her away from him, but, again, he knew that would be wrong and child-like; there was no romance between the two mages.

Lyon, after reading the carefree look on Jellal's face, whirled on him, angered. The king wasn't the least bit concerned about Erza, opting to simply stand there and observe his brother-in-law panic. Lyon, on the other hand, was having trouble not running out and after the requip mage, uncertain as to whether or not if he'd just hinder her or actually aid her. He fell back on the latter. "Your wife is running off to her possible doom and you're just going to stand there looking like an asshole?!"

Whilst they started at each other, ready to tear each other a new one, Ultear walked in, alerted by the sound of Erza's pounding footsteps as they faded into nothingness. The footsteps had been followed by the echoing voice of her husband, the anger leaking through the castle walls.

"Jelly? Lyon?" She was curious as to why the duo were standing about, looking as if they were ready to murder each other (unknown to her at the time, they actually were). Truth be told, she was honestly worried about as to why her sister-in-law had been running through the halls at such a pace, and had no doubt in her mind that at least a part of her anger was being fuelled by something her elder brother had told her. "And why was Erza running? Jel, what did you say?!"

The ultramarine-haired man grunted, displeased by the fact his sister already knew he had said something to the redhead. How the hell was so she... knowledgeable? "Nothing."

"Liar."

"I simply..." He sighed wearily, running a hand down his face. This wouldn't work, it simply _couldn't _work; he realized that Erza was too compassionate of a woman to let him successfully dislike her and keep her away from him and his affairs. One way or another, he'd fall back into her intoxicating presence willingly and let her warm him up to the point of melting. She was the only one to ever have this affect on him, and he'd be damned if he didn't observe and bask in it for a while longer before throwing it all away. "I said some things."

"Oh really?" Ultear raised an eyebrow, an artificial smile making its way onto her lips. Both men instantly froze, knowing hell was on its way up to the castle; that smile, that deadly sweet smile, only appeared when Ultear was mad. And when she's mad, it was, in the literal sense, the Apocalypse. "Well, Jelly, why don't you enlighten us?"

"I rather not..."

"Too bad you don't have a choi-"

A dark, familiar chuckle echoed through the room, freezing them all in their tracks. Jellal and Ultear's forms instantly froze up, recognizing the deep baritone, but Lyon was simply confused. Who's voice was that? Realization hit; was it the all-mysterious 'Zeref'? Listening even more carefully, the trio waited for it, him, to say something.

"Well, my little royals, shall we watch your queen burn?" Zeref's voice projected itself, and suddenly, the air in the room turned cold as a portal-looking hole appeared in the middle of the room, black inkiness filling its insides as its surface rippled like water. "Enjoy the show, _Your __Highness's_."

The ripples solidified revealing a vision of Erza herself, gripping an ancient katana and glaring at someone off the screen, destruction raining down around her form. Garbled noises reached their ears: swearing, screaming, and someone calling out Erza's name (a woman?). The trio could only stare, two of them in shock and horror and the third in smug pride. He knew the siblings had never seen Erza fight, and by the sound of the voice that he successfully identified as Zeref's, neither had their enemy.

"We most definitely will enjoy the show," he smirked. Memories of past battles flashed through his mind, reminding him of how many countless times teaming with Magnolia's council had brought them victories and saved them needless carnage and bloodshed. They had saved their lives more than he could count, and even he had to admit their strength was legendary; there was nobody who could compare. "Observe, Ultear, Jellal. It's rare that people can watch Titania dance her dance of swords without getting their heads chopped off."

"You've seen her fight before?" Ultear was curious; she really didn't know anything about her husband, and she was suddenly yearning to know every little thing about him. Ever since this 'Juvia' person had been brought up, at least; who the hell was she? She knew, deep down somewhere, that her jealously was misplaced and that Lyon had been sincere when he said that Juvia was a past thing, but...she still worried.

"Yeah, and...let's just say, you're in for a treat."

Even Jellal was enticed by the cryptic words; just _who _did he marry?

* * *

She raced through the streets, blatantly ignoring all the preying eyes that were paired with moving mouths, no doubt wondering why such a well-dressed woman was running through their village. Her mind in the gutter, all she could think about was that Juvia was in the enemy's clutches, and time was slowly running out. She needed to find the water-mage before anything happened to either her or the baby.

Rounding a corner, she continued down the hill, gasping audibly once she saw the borders of Sorciere. Now, all she really had to do was somehow locate the fortress and break in; taking out their ranks would be no issue in her current state. The requip mage was beyond thinking logically, and simply wanted to ensure her friend's safety at this point. She didn't even care that Sorciere was a huge kingdom, and she just might run around for hours upon hours before possibly stumbling upon the fortress.

It was at the moment, though, she felt a sudden, strong magic wrap around her, the evil essence causing her skin to crawl. Struggling proved to be futile, and she soon stopped wriggling and stayed tense, wondering what the hell was going on. The magic lifted her off the ground and she realized she was being taken elsewhere, as her surroundings faded into black nothingness.

Closing her eyes, she waited until the rushing winds slowed, and quietness descended upon her again, suffocating her to the point of no return. Letting her eyelids rise, she took in the area she was in now, realizing that this was, with no doubt, the enemy's fortress. It was too cold to be anywhere else in Sorciere, a kingdom filled with warmth and happiness.

As stealthy as a cougar sneaking up on its prey, Erza slipped into the shadows, using their dark tutelage to move through the hallway. They were solely lit by occasional brackets of flames, and even then the fires were cold shades of blue. She already knew that Juvia was somewhere in the palace, and now it was just a matter of finding her and getting her out of there safely and without harm. Summoning one of her katana, she held it deftly and started jogging down the middle of the hallway, throwing stealth out the window.

Her task had already proven to be difficult, considering all the random soldiers that waited around the corners, no doubt on orders to capture or slay the redhead as soon as they made eye contact with her. She took them down one after another, making sure to kill them and increase her family's chance of victory when the next battle came around. A lower amount of soldiers meant less carnage to block Natsu and Gajeel's sense of smell as well less pests to worry about. They'd have more time for the bigger opponents.

She moved slowly, but surely, in the direction of the heart of the fortress. She had no doubt that the was where they were keeping Juvia, and she also had no doubt in her mind that this was all a set up to get her to come out alone. She'd be damned if she let them win, though. She'd win this fight and get Juvia out of there, no matter what it took.

Finally, at the end of one of the corridors, there was a door awaiting her, a mysterious, dark purple glow surrounding the frame of said door and making it seem all the more dangerous. She snorted; as of that, of all things would stop her. An army of ten thousand monsters couldn't stop her at this point, for her anger had reached an all-time high and couldn't be calmed unless she shed the blood of the people who threatened her friend's life.

Kicking it down, she made her way into the well lit room, observing the expensive draperies and the richness of the carpets she stood on. The room was vast and shrouded in dark hues of purple and blue, their coldness spreading through the room like spilled ink over parchment. More brackets filled with the sickly blue fire surrounded them, the licks dancing and swaying in the non-existent wind.

"Erza!" She heard a thankfully familiar voice call to her, relief flooding said person's voice. It was Juvia, tied up and on the floor of the middle of the room. She had deep lacerations running the length of her exposed as, her normally vibrant, blue hair full with splotches of dark red blood within the tresses. Her blood boiled at the sight, but she shoved it all down and raced over to her fallen friend, her heels clicking fiercely against the cold stone flooring, her thoughts only consisted of the need to get Juvia out of there.

"Ah, and our main attraction appears," a voice chuckled from above, behind, in front, and all around, really. I fell to my knees in front of Juvia, ignoring it for the moment, and ripped the frayed ropes off of her pregnant form with my bare hands. Pulling her to my side protectively shortly after, I glared around the room to see who dare kidnap my friend.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the voice continued, and the duo could practically hear the smirk in the man's voice, and combined with the sheer evilness they felt around them in the air, they knew it had to be an enemy. "I am Zeref, one of the mighty Generals of Lord Ivan's army. And I, Mrs. Fernandes, am here to exterminate you to destroy your husband. Of course, you wouldn't mind would you?"

She snarled, glaring up at the ceiling, opting not to speak. But, of course, this 'Zeref' person (who sees to pop out of everything), continued as if she'd never made a sound, "Of course I don't intend to get my hands dirty with fairy blood, so...I'll let an old acquaintance of Mr. Fullbuster handle you two; how does that sound, hm? And on the other hand, Mrs. Fernandes, your husband and his sister, and your friend Lyon, are watching this match. Make sure to impress them, won't you now? I daresay the royal siblings have never seen you fight yet?"

Behind her, Juvia gasped audibly, thrown off by the revelation. Since when was Erza _married_? To the king of Sorciere no doubt? And what was this about Lyon? To their right, a portal-like circle opened up, it's surface rippling to reveal Jellal, Ultear and Lyon's faces on the other side, looking in worriedly. When they locked eyes, the three began calling out frantically, telling them to get out of there right this instant. Choosing not to speak, she helped Juvia off the floor, letting her eyes take in the wounds and decided whether or not they were life-threatening. Thankfully, they weren't, but the sight of Juvia's blood splattered all over her slightly paler than usual skin sickened the redhead.

"And now, I introduce to you, Deliora!"

* * *

**A/N: I was going to include the fight scene, but a friend told me not to and to hang onto that suspense, so you guys get an update that's two days earlier, hehe! In this chapter, Jellal is fighting with himself about whether or not he should lock Erza out, and in the end realizes it's impossible and futile to try to! Also in this chapter, Juvia was taken, but luckily, Erza found her! ****_Next_ chapter brings you a fight, the condition of Juvia's baby, and Erza going back to the castle to meet with her family! PLUS SOME FLUFFY GRUVIA, SO GET READY:D Leave your reviews with thoughts, opinions, and love? :) Expect an update in about a week, again, thanks for reading! **


	4. Dance of Swords

**A/N: HAI AGAIN LU, OMFG YOU'RE BACK. [Do you intend on updating any of your stories or are they a lost cause you bumhole?]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Dance of Swords**

_**"Finally settled against their sheets and the soft, plump pillows, Jellal made up his mind; reaching over, he gently wrapped an arm around Erza's waist and pulled her against his front, effectively spooning her."**_

* * *

Erza's eyes widened, recognizing the name that Zeref had just dropped. But it couldn't be, could it?

A roar echoed through the room, shattering their ears and causing Juvia to gasp, startled. The trio on the other side of the 'window', too, were shocked by the loud noise, all three worrying for the safety of the women in the fortress (willingly, or unwillingly in Jellal's case). Erza readied herself, grasping her katana tightly and watching the dark shadows on the other side of the room, which seemed to be morphing and pushing against each other. Years of battle had hardened the woman into a full-blown warrior.

The floor was suddenly shaking, the forceful stomps of a great being cracking the seemingly unbreakable stone. Juvia let loose a cry of warning, reminding the redhead that this monster had wiped out villages in their entirety years before it disappeared. Of course, she didn't need a reminder, for Gray and Lyon's own family had been brutally murdered by the thing moving towards the duo at a leisurely pace.

At the same time, however, she knew that if it were to come down to her winning the fight and be given the chance to murder it, she simply couldn't take it; this was Gray's demon and Gray alone had to slay it. She knew that he would be eternally grateful over the fact she came to Juvia's aid, but he'd also hold a grudge over her head forever.

Gritting her teeth in frustration over her dilemma, she turned her upper half to face Juvia, quickly giving the girl instructions, "go right against the door, and watch to see what you should do. If I yell at you to run and not look back, I expect you to run and not look back, alright?"

"But-"

"No," Erza glared at her, communicating with her amber-brown irises; she was dead serious, and now wasn't the time for Juvia to be arguing. Realizing this, the bluenette nodded silently, all the while fearing for her friend's life. The water-woman wasn't stupid, she knew of her companion's obvious strength and ability as a fighter. At the same time, she knew of Deliora's sheer power, and the anger it could produce when it's prey didn't fall down immediately. At this point, she could only hope for Erza's survival.

And it was then that Deliora made its appearance.

A large mass of bulging black-blue muscles, one couldn't help but fear the imposing demon. Even more so, one who knows of its strength. Juvia, in pain and in worry, quivered against the wall that supported her weight. Erza, on the other hand, was already leaping forward, her arched body flying through the air with the grace of a lethal cougar defending it's family. Which, really, was what she was doing.

Growling under his breath and now under the hold of both Lyon and Ultear, Jellal struggled to pull away from their grips and go help because god damn it, she wasn't going to win this fight. Against the better part of his mind, he wanted to go and help her, but these two _moronic buffoons _were holding him down, blabbering about things he, at the moment, couldn't care less about. His damned wife (at the moment, their earlier fight was slipping his mind) was going to get herself killed and they expected him to stand around and let that happen?! "Let me go! Do you want her to die, you simple-minded imbeciles?!"

"Have some faith in her, you idiot!" Lyon scolded the ultramarine, all the while gluing his eyes to the screen. He, too, was worrying over the redheaded requip mage, but now, especially, wasn't the time to be questioning her ability. He was trembling in anger at the familiar sight of Deliora, the one who had taken everything from both him and Gray. The thing that had caused a rift to form between the fraternal twins that hadn't been mended until their confrontation, and Lyon resented Deliora for taking his brother away from him for so long. Granted they lived in different kingdoms, the brothers' bond was now stronger than ever. He wanted Erza to spill its blood, but at the same time, he wanted Gray to get the kill. It had been Deliora's fault that Lyon had shunned his brother, blaming their parents' death on him and leaving him to burn. He wasn't proud of his past actions and at times it came back to haunt him.

Taking in its size, Erza could only see a misty, red haze. This was the thing that caused Gray, one of her closest comrades, so much damn pain. She wanted to spill its blood, but keep it alive for Gray and Gray only to get the satisfaction and pleasure of murdering it. Her leap had brought her into the air around its head, within its hitting range. With a snarl of anger, she slashed down with her sword, effectively opening a deep laceration across Deliora's left eye.

A roar later, she knew the fight was to begin.

Grabbing the ends of one of the hanging drapes, she clung to it and deftly dodged the flying claws, swinging her way down and back to the floor. The silken sheets she hung to ripped, threads of spun silver falling to the floor in separated strands. Paying no heed, she jumped over the outreached arm, coming down hard with her katana. Black blood splattered across the exposed plains of her skin, steaming hot against the forming cold sweat. Disgusted, she growled in distaste, before leaping out of the way of a large foot.

Juvia watched, gazing in admiration at her close friend as she moved around the room, opening various cuts along Deliora's body and then some. She was truly beautiful, like a vicious dove. One of Magnolia's best by far, no other female fighter could hold a candle to her burning flames.

Jellal stared, shocked to his core, as he watched Erza dance her dance of swords, effectively cutting down the massive demon despite her own, petite form. Now, however, he knew she wasn't just petite; she was lithe and could use lethal weapons as if it was the damned easiest thing in the world. He could now see why Lyon had been less stressed than he and his sister had been.

"S-She's amazing," Ultear breathed, watching the redhead with sheer fascination as she never let up with her tirade of attacks, her facial expression still calm as a stilled sea. Really, Ultear had known that Erza possessed an inner strength that wasn't exactly comprehensible, but this was completely out of the question.

Erza ignored all the awed comments around her, concentrating on the task at hand. Deep down, she knew she couldn't prolong this fight any longer than necessary, mostly because she had to get Juvia some medical attention as soon as possible.

"Lyon," she called, waiting for the confirmation that he heard her, which she got immediately after. "I need to anchor a portal to you, may I? It won't hurt, it'll simply be uncomfortable."

"Of course," Lyon knew of Magnolia's council-members' portal systems, and how it worked. It was a brilliantly plotted-out idea, and Erza most definitely needed one now. Feeling the familiar pull of her charm, he let his magic loose for her to manipulate.

With the portal forming somewhere behind her, she snarled in resistance once Deliora was finally able to grab her whilst she had been distracted with checking up on Juvia. With a vice-like grip, she couldn't hold back the cry that came forth when it squeezed, effectively breaking a few ribs and collapsing her lung. Coughing, she noticed the specks of red now staining the floor.

Stabbing his meaty claws with her sword, she relished the roar of pain that fell from the beast's lips, before breaking out of its hold and landing on the floor in a crouching position. She knew already what she wanted to do at this point, and so decided to go along with her plan. Gripping her katana fiercely with both hands, she sent it flying towards the ground, watching it slide through as if the hard rock was simply butter.

Cracks spread across the vast flooring, spinning and weaving themselves like a spider's web. With the floor's foundation slowly crumbling, it couldn't support the weight of the monster standing upon it no longer, and Deliora fell through the floor, screaming the whole way down. Smirking, she turned to Juvia, who stood beside the now completed portal, laughing at her friend's choice of escape.

All along the way, she broke the floor, slashing the walls as best she could and causing the whole room to start falling down. She reached Juvia, and surveyed her work, satisfied with the damage she managed to cause. She grabbed Juvia's hand to calm her friend down and assure her that she was indeed fine, before deciding to finish the job she had started.

Breaking through the marble at their feet with one, final downwards slice, Erza shattered the last full piece of the floor, chunks of obsidian flying through the air. Grabbing Juvia's hand once again, she jumped through the mortal, just as gigantic pieces of marble fell exactly where they were standing. To say they shrieked (but Erza would firmly deny it if asked about it later on), would be an understatement; Erza grunted in pain as her leg hit Juvia's leg with bone-shattering force. Breathing hard, Juvia clung to her saviour, letting Erza comfort her to the best of her ability. A few, short seconds later, the duo found themselves in the gardens of Sorciere's castle, standing in front of the royal trio who stared at them in shock.

"Juvia! Erza!" Lyon cried, relief flooding through him like a wildfire. Stumbling across the patch of grass, he grabbed their arms and made sure that they were the real thing. With dark magic at play, you'd never know. He, too, knew of the strange powers their enemy possessed, being on the receiving ends one too many times. "Thank the heavens you're both alright!"

Erza, still having difficulty breathing, nodded, smiling slightly with her mouth parted. Jellal moved forward, his cloak billowing, and ignored the curious (and angered) look she shot her, simply resolving to ease the blue-haired woman, who was clearly pregnant, out of his wife's hold and handing her to Ultear, who obediently took hold of her. Paying no heed to Erza's curses that came under her short breaths, he latched his right arm under her knees, effectively picking her up bridal-style and holding her precariously. Now, she was protesting out-loud, so he gave her a cold look filled with disbelief (was she really arguing now, of all times?), and responded. "Your left lung has obviously collapsed and you're having trouble both breathing and staying awake. I suggest you quiet down before you start coughing up more blood."

Deflating, she allowed him to start walking up the path, Lyon and Ultear, who was still holding Juvia, in tow. Against the better part of his mind, he let his eyes travel down her barely concealed form; those _damned _bandages that normally hid her cleavage from prying eyes were tattered and falling apart, revealing way too much for his liking. Not that Lyon, who was the only other male in the party, was staring at her, but more so Jellal's own eyes were glued to her curvaceous form. This didn't escape Erza's observations, and she felt like squirming under his burning gaze. For crying out loud, she felt as if it, his gaze, was leaving paths of fire on her bruised skin.

Jellal pulled the girl farther into his arms, letting the ends of his cape fall around her to shield her form the cold, evening winds and possible, prying eyes. He was being too overprotective for a man who wanted to distance himself from his wife, but nonetheless he couldn't help it; sighing angrily at himself, he walked up the stairs and entered the castle, where his servants were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their queen. They had been aware of the fact she had left in a haste, and later had been informed by their king that she had indeed gotten into a fight and will probably need medical attention.

Upon the grand doors opening, they were set into motion immediately; two of the older, elderly maids reached for Erza, taking her out of Jellal's increasingly tight grasp, and brought her into the infirmary. Followed by them were Ultear and Juvia, who was suddenly having stabbing pains in her stomach. Unsure of what was going on, fear released itself on her mind.

And so began her personal Apocalypse.

* * *

Erza was startled back into reality about an hour later from the lulling darkness the medicine they provided her with by an ear-piercing scream that ripped her heart to shreds. Juvia was on the bed beside her's, screaming out in pain as the nurses and doctors hastened to hold her down. Upon hearing the scream, both Lyon and Jellal, who had been waiting on the outside, threw the door open, staring in horror at the writhing body of Magnolia's councilwoman.

"What's wrong with her?!" Erza cried, gazing up at the doctor with a look of pain and fear. Normally, she'd fear for her friends' health, but Juvia was in a delicate condition already; what if there was something wrong with the baby? What would Gray say? How would she even forgive herself, if she could've had the chance to save both the mother and the unborn baby, but had failed miserably?

Moving quickly, one of the nurses gave her what seemed to be a sleep pill, one that knocked the screaming woman out instantly. She fell against the pillows, a soft 'thump' echoing through the room, before everyone released a sigh of relief.

The old doctor stared down at his queen, taking in the look of keen attentiveness and the worry she was obviously displaying over her friend's condition. She reminded him so much of the late queen, and he couldn't help but wonder if that's why Jellal had chosen the redhead to be his. Most of his cryptic actions, really, were easy to decipher; at least for the old man who had delivered and help raise the boy. This choice, though, was one he couldn't really figure out. At least, not until Jellal had raced into the room and basically thrown himself at Erza's bed, his eyes hungrily roaming over her form in the most protective way the old man had ever seen the boy scrutinize someone.

"Is she okay, Grandpa Rob?" The boy's soft, scared voice thoroughly shocked him. When was Jellal _ever _so soft-spoken anymore? The boy had been traumatized, broken even, by what had happened to him, him and his sister. Ultear, however, had healed once she had met and opened up to her husband, Lyon, but Jellal had never given himself the chance to fall in love. At least, Rob mused, not until now.

He smiled kindly at both faces staring up at him, observing the rosy blush now covering his queen's cheeks. He could tell Jellal had already, true to his temperamental anger, had gotten into an argument with his newlywed. The girl, too, was still rather uncomfortable with the king's protectiveness, which was another blatantly obvious fact. "She'll be fine, we gave her the proper medicine she need, m'boy. We also healed her lung, and cleared it of any liquid that could've gotten into it. Now all she needs is rest and supervision to make sure she'll be fine and there's no lasting aftereffects of the injuries. I suggest you get her up to your chambers and stay by her side to make sure she doesn't ever do something so reckless again."

Lyon looked over from where he leaned against the door, an arm around his own wife who snuggled into his side, snorting and smirking. If he had just heard correctly, their head doctor had just implied that what Erza had just done was her most reckless feat yet which was most certainly not the case. Memories of all the dangerous things her and her team had committed back in the day flashed through his mind and despite himself, he chuckled. "This is probably the least reckless thing Erza's ever done, and I can attest to that."

The woman in question shot a glare at her friend, too exhausted to do more. Too exhausted to stop Jellal from lifting her up again, the same position as before. It was only then that she realized someone, while she had been asleep, had changed her into a white nightgown made of shimmery material that ended a few inches below her butt. Jellal made sure to hold down the floating material as he gave everyone a curt nod before leaving out the door to make sure she didn't accidentally flash someone. Clinging to her husband's cloak and throwing her anger and her bountiful pride to the farthest recesses of her mind for the time being, she nestled into his warmth, letting it wash over her and reheat her toes and fingers.

"That was stupid," he started, his voice flat albeit quiet. He had been running over what he'd say to her in his mind for quite some time to be honest, and yet he still stumbled over his words. He was contented by the fact she decided against fighting against him for now, but he knew her anger would return as soon as she had him alone. This, in their case, would be in a few more minutes. "You could've died."

"I think not," she snorted in response, staring at the wall as they proceeded up the stairs. She felt cornered, but didn't know why; was it because of Jellal? Most definitely. His hands burned through the thin material of her nightgown, and with a shock, looking out the window, she realized it was past sundown, as the sky was an inky blue. Had they really spent away the day already? "That thing killed one of my best friend's family, and Lyon's; it doesn't deserve to live."

"But you didn't kill it." Jellal was now opening the door to their suite, careful now that he was carrying the redhead with nothing more than one of his arms. Granted she was a slight being and didn't need much support, he still made sure he didn't jostle her too much. Closing the door behind them, he walked over to the middle of the room, settling her down on the dark blue sheets before stripping himself of his cloak and boots, followed by his shirt. It took all of Erza's willpower to stop herself from drooling at the sight of his damned washboard abs. His pants hung low on his hips, revealing delicious hip bones that disappeared under the black cloth of his pants.

Jellal, too, was having a hard time concentrating on her face rather than her body. The nightgown was extremely short, but the way she was sitting caused the slippery material to slide up, bunching up around her hips. Not only that, but the dress was only a V-neck, the cut of the top revealing way more than it should. And there was so much goddamn _lace_. Mentally berating himself for having such dirty thoughts about his wife (his mind kept telling him there wasn't really anybody else he could have dirty thoughts about), he continued with his earlier statement. "Why didn't you kill it?"

"That's Gray's job," her soft response came immediately. Nodding in acceptance, he stretched and slid into bed, his mind spinning with all the possibilities. Aiding her, they carefully lifted the multitude of sheets up and slid under, squirming in discomfort over the fact that this was their first night of many. Finally settled against their sheets and the soft, plump pillows, Jellal made up his mind; reaching over, he gently wrapped an arm around Erza's waist and pulled her against his front, effectively spooning her.

On her part, she didn't scream, squeak, or make any sort of noise; she thought, nimbly, that she deserved some sort of reward or medal. Instead, she blinked a few times, processing the fact that he had pulled her against himself and was soon radiating heat, her cheeks on fire. "W-What're you doing?"

He smirked, amused by the fact that she had stuttered. What had happened to the headstrong warrior that had so passionately defied him on so many occasions already? What was she doing, taking a break? The thought caused him to chuckle lowly, a sound Erza found (despite herself) extremely arousing. "This, my dear, is to make sure you don't escape in the middle of the night to cleave off the heads of my poor villagers."

Rolling around in his hold as best as she could, she glared up at him once they were face to face, before becoming immediately aware of their proximity. Jellal, too, was suddenly aware of the fact that somehow, his other arm had come up to pull her even closer against his form, relishing the softness of her skin against his own.

"I would not cleave off the heads of the innocent," she protested crossly, pouting up at him. "You, though, I'm not so sure of. What happened to your assumption of my 'whore' status, Your Highness?"

Her anger was back and there was no stopping her now. How dare he assume such vulgar things about her immediately; twice, even, in the same day! Some part of her mind, the weaker part she deemed, was telling her to hear him out; for his face displayed such regret and pain that she stumbled in her tirade for a moment, unsure of how to continue. Just what the hell went on in that head of his?

"Erza, I…" Jellal was quiet, because he knew he deserved hell and worse for his behaviour. Reflecting on his actions, he knew there was probably a better way to have reacted to the situation with Zeref, the situation of his kingdom, but he chose the easiest way and ending up hurting someone who didn't belong in such a dark, dark world. "I shouldn't have said the things I did. I was trying to protect you."

"By insulting me?"

"Precisely," he sighed, and running on instinct, buried her face into her fiery-red locks, breathing in the comforting scent of sakura petals and vanilla. He was ecstatic when she brought her arms up to hold him closer rather than push him away, letting her bury herself further into his embrace as her way of telling him to continue with what he was saying. "I…you remember how earlier today I ran off to deal with Zeref, yes?"

Was that only earlier today? It was like centuries ago. Pressed into his body, she nodded, knowing he could feel it and silently indicating for him to continue. So he did.

"Well, he…presented a few threats earlier," his anger burned brightly at the mere thoughts of what the bastard had said earlier. How dare he bring the concept of 'rape' into his threats, on top of what he had presented numerous times beforehand! "And, well, the only way to keep you safe from him would be to keep you farther away from me. Distance between us would be necessary for me to keep you safe."

Erza shifted, shocked by this relevance. So, by hurting her, he was trying to keep her away from himself and his problems? It was sweet, to an extent, but incredibly stupid beyond that. She could keep herself safe, damn it. "Jellal, despite your good intentions, this wasn't necessary. I can keep myself safe."

"You don't know what you're dealing with," he growled in insistence. "Zeref…he's real bad news Erza. This isn't child-play anymore."

"Neither is war, Jellal, which I had been fully involved in prior to this arranged marriage!" Her cry of indigence was louder than it should've been but she was past the point of caring who heard her and who didn't. "I still am involved, whether you like and support it or not, and that is something you will never be able to change no matter how much you cut me down."

"I realize that now," he pulled his face out her hair, opting to stare down at her instead. She stared back, pain from his earlier comments flashing through her eyes. Again, he felt remorse and shame flash hot-white throughout him; how could he have said and done what he did to her? "I apologize, Erza, I really don't know what I was hoping to accomplish with what I said anymore."

He sighed, placing a soft, tender kiss to her temple, startling her into drawing in a sharp breath. How could she resist the perfection of the moment? Pushing herself even further into his hold, she wished she could just fall asleep and run away from this conversation. After a silence that had stretched on for minutes, she decided to respond.

"I can see why you did it," she looked up at him, a soft smile of weariness making its way onto her face. "And its fine, you were attempting, rather pathetically, to protect me."

He laughed, tilting his head back. She was a fiery ball of power that demanded your respect, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to her as if he was a moth. Maybe, just maybe…this could end up as something beautiful. "No offence to that statement."

"Well damn, I was aiming for offence."

He gave her a playful glare, smiling. "Go to bed, you fiery ball of energy. Or do I have to knock you out?"

She gazed at him softly for a moment, sympathy within her amber-brown irises, before reaching up and touching his face with tentative hands, stroking the tanned flesh and running her hand over the curious tattoo that ran through his eye. "Your smile…there's pain behind it."

She knew Lyon told her not to pry, but how could she not? It was clear as day that Jellal had demons haunting him; it was alive in his smiles for crying out loud!

He stared down at Erza, unsure of how to respond to what she had just stated. Was it that obvious that he was hurting? Looking away, he felt the wounds reopen, spreading fresh pain through his body only to be quelled by Erza's heat, still there and warming him in the best way. How was he to respond, really? He knew, with time, he'd probably end up telling her, but…to tell her so soon? He still couldn't admit it to himself, how could he admit to the only other human being outside his immediate family (prior to any sort of agreement) to show him such care and affection? Not only that, but the fact that it was his wife, someone who, already, made him burn with desire whenever she was near. The person he'd end up spending the rest of his life with.

How was he to admit it to her?

"It's nothing," his respond was lighthearted, but she could hear the darkness underneath his tone.

She glanced up at him to find him clenching his jaw, a vacant look in his eyes. Knowing all too well what it was like to be unable to speak of one's past, Erza opted to simply offer her comfort, anchoring herself to Jellal and pressing her face into his left pectoral.

He smiled down at her, placing under soft kiss against the crown of her head, resting his own against it. The moonlight that filtered through the drapes was slight, casting an ethereal glow across her porcelain skin that was dotted with an occasional bruise or crusted cut. In his opinion, they only added to her appeal.

Stroking her exposed arms under the covers, he absentmindedly thought of formally introducing her to his staff tomorrow. Personally, he hated the thought of 'servants'; his workers were properly cared for and were paid fully for their work.

A knock on the door broke the silence of the room, and Jellal lifted his head up, resisting the urge to curse whoever was on that side of the door to the higher Heavens. "Come in," his voice was grumpy, and he heard Erza chuckle at his moodiness.

Lyon entered, laughing, and paused at the sight laid out before his eyes. There was Jellal, the cold, stoic man with an anger to fit a god, and Erza, a fiery, stubborn woman who could castrate any man with whatever given, cuddling under the sheets, holding each other near. Now he could see why the man was irritable; how often did this occur?

"I apologize for interrupting your, ah, activities," he gave them a sly smirk, "but Erza, your family's here."

* * *

**A/N: Agh, I promise you all two chapters this week, each 5,000 words long! Review with your love to keep me going? :) I love reading through them all! Thank you for whoever faved, followed, and reviewed (especially you guys, aha) the story so far! I didn't except to get such a response! :D Next time on 'This Kingdom We Protect', we get a look at Juvia's condition, and a meeting with her old family (huh, guess they couldn't stay away, huh?). Whatcha think about Juvia? Is she okay? Is the baby okay? Review with your thoughts :)**


	5. Kingdom Under Fire

**A/N: I will warn you all now, Laxus' back-story is quite sad (to the point where I, personally, was extremely depressed and was tearing up) so just look out for that, okie dokie? :) I would also like to tell you there was no proofreading, so I apologize and will get to that as soon as possible!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Kingdom Under Fire**

**"**_**And it was at this point that Laxus Dreyar, age 4, lost his mother, and lost any shred of positiveness for his father.**_******"**

* * *

Erza sat up, breaking out of both the trance she was currently in and Jellal's hold. Her excitement couldn't be kept at bay and flooded through her senses, awakening the happiness within her at the prospect of seeing her family again. Despite the fact it hadn't even been 24 hours yet, she couldn't wait to see them; never in her life had she been so far away from them, from home. Or maybe it was the part of her that was saying that this may be the last time she saw them for a long gap of time. Either way, she was jumping out of the sheets and hurrying over to where Lyon stood, laughing at her hurried form.'

Jellal, now more than a tad sulky, got himself out of bed too, grabbing his shirt for himself and his cloak for Erza, who had completely forgotten about her revealing nightgown. Moving up to where she was standing, impatiently awaiting him, he slipped the cloak around her form, watching it engulf the silken white of the shimmering nightgown with the inky black hues that made up the cloak's material. Satisfied, Jellal linked his fingers with her's and they left the room, descending the stairs and heading in the direction of the infirmary.

Erza tugged on their linked fingers, indicating that they should slow down and let Lyon pass them, waiting for distance between them. Jellal fell back obediently, unsure of what she was going to say, but it became clear that it wasn't a pressing matter for he saw the twinkle of amusement in her beautiful, amber eyes. "I'm going to apologize beforehand, but Gray and Natsu just may burn the castle to the ground. That is, unless, Laxus puts a stop to them now or before they got here."

He laughed, smiling down at her with an understanding look. He knew of the Dragneel's impulsive behaviours (how, at this point, he didn't exactly know), but she did not know he had a vague idea, and he was in no haste to tell her of their first meeting. He had no doubt in his mind it would lead to another dispute, and they were already on shaky grounds. The last he needed was for her to get worked up and distraught over the past all over again.

The trio, the couple having caught up to Lyon, entered the infirmary, to find it packed with familiar faces: Laxus, Natsu and Gray all sat around, occupying the various chairs, and turned at the sound of the heavy door opening. They blinked as Erza entered, a serene look on her features and her hand linked with King Fernandes'. Natsu had to keep his anger at bay; he'd never seen such a happy look on Erza's face before, not concerning a man before. For her sake, he'd keep quiet and not pummel the man into the ground.

Laxus was extremely relieved to see that his little sister was being well taken cared of, in terms of respect and happiness. Of course, they weren't related by blood, but Laxus was extremely close to the redhead. He had known her the longest, and she was one of the rare people, including Mira, who knew how to handle him at his worst. A self-respecting woman, he knew his kingdom was proud to call her their own; she not only cared for her nakama, she cared for the kingdom's people and knew a lot of them on a first-name basis. "I'm glad you're settling in, Erza. I apologize this came up so soon, on the same day as your first day here, but it couldn't be helped."

Erza, nodding, was about to speak, when she felt herself being yanked out of Jellal's hold and crushed into two very warm, and naked, chests. Realizing struggling would prove futile, Erza sighed and let her two best friends hug her tightly, mumbling things into her ears while arguing with each other (seriously, how the hell did they do that?). Like her, they had separation issues, and it didn't bode well with them that they didn't have their best friend in the castle anymore.

"The castle's no fun without you," Natsu pouted. He missed the spared moments they had to themselves, and spent by yelling, screaming, and racing through the winding corridors, play-fighting and creating memories. How could they create memories without Erza?

"There's nobody to yell at them constantly, he means," Laxus supplied, leaning back against his chair and letting them have their moment before things got serious. He, out of them all, felt the worst about this war; his own, pathetic father had waged it, after all. A fiery anger burned through him at the mere thought of Ivan Dreyar. Memories of that fateful, traumatizing day flashed through his mind, swirling white before invading his vision, engulfing him in the suffocating heat of the room his parents, (in which only one got his utmost and utter love), shared so many years ago.

* * *

_A four-year old Laxus was chained to the wall, the heavy, iron-wrought links burning against the skin, tender skin of a mere child. A child who, at the time, was screaming and screaming and screaming, his voice hoarse and his face covered in salty tear-tracks as they were run over by fresh tears. A man with inky-black hair stood in the heart of the room, surrounding by the wild flames that danced around them, burning down the relics and memories of a mother and son pair that was currently being torn apart. _

_"No, please dad! Stop!" The never-ending plea rung through the thick air, only causing the man to fall further off the edge and get high over the despair and pain in the child's voice. Ivan Dreyar was currently cutting his wife to pieces, making sure that his son was witnessing the scene. His wife had passed out, the enormous amount of pain too much for her to bear. _

_"You must know true pain, you little runt!" The man cackled, before deciding to was time to commit the inevitable. Raising the knife and relishing the screams of his son, Ivan Dreyar carved out the heart of Delila Fortinan. _The bitch never did take on my last name, _he mused_, better for me; no trash should take on the Dreyar name...unfortunately this bastard was given it.

_The screams suddenly stopped. Laxus had, at this point, stilled, the image of his mother's no doubt lifeless body hanging from his father's hold engraved within his mind. __And it was at this point that Laxus Dreyar, age 4, lost his mother, and lost any shred of positiveness for his father._

* * *

"...xus! _Laxus_!" The man in question shook himself, blinking and looking up at the worried faces of his trio of comrades, all of them with understanding in their eyes. Erza, who'd been closest, leaned closer to him, grasping his hand and offering her comfort. Giving her a thankful smile, he turned his attention to the small crowd assembled in the room.

"Right, I'm sorry about that," he coughed. Natsu and Gray had by now settled down as well, Gray seated on the bed his slumbering wife currently occupied and Natsu in the chair to his right. Erza sat with Jellal, the duo taking up one of the many beds in the room and Lyon opted to lean against the wall. The only light in the room proved to be the brackets of fire that were lined up along the wall, providing them with warmth and casting shadows throughout the room. "I got lost in my thoughts. Anyways, this war...we have to start moving quicker. Before anybody else gets hurt, and before any of will have to willingly walk into traps."

"I can't help but wonder how Ivan got Deliora to work with him," Gray growled, his fists clenched. From the moment Lyon had told him who had been fighting with Erza, he had been fighting in internal battle with himself. He was eternally indebted to the redhead, who not only saved his wife as soon as she could but left the demon alive for him. He knew it how hard it must've been for her not to maul Deliora, and he knew he wouldn't let her kindness go to waste. The bastard would die by his hand if and when they crossed paths.

"I feel like he's getting whoever he can bribe to work for him," Erza threw in worriedly. Jellal glanced over to find the redhead's eyes solely on Laxus, who had his fists clenched. Jellal's own gut was in turmoil; if the prince of Magnolia was so worried, they were truly up against something, or possibly _someone_, horrendous. His eyes landed on Erza again, taking in her form huddled within his cloak. His protective sense flared up again, and he mentally berated himself for letting Erza leave the castle and take on such a deadly opponent.

"And...there's another problem we need to address." Laxus paused, waiting until he had everyone's attention, more specifically the Fernandes (technically, Erza was a Fernandes too, but he'd never admit that too himself). He was extremely aware of the fact Sorciere's king's eyes moving to Erza's face often, taking in her form and hardening at whatever the man was thinking at the time. Laxus' brow furrowed; was he mad at himself for letting Erza into a dangerous situation? His mind wandered back to yesterday, when Jellal had come to their castle and the way he acted...

* * *

_"Really, Dragneel, you should have a bit more respect for your king," an unfamiliar, masculine drawl sounded through the room, causing all their conversations to stop. Again, they turned to the door, and were shocked to find a vaguely familiar figure standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame in the most carefree manner they'd ever seen in a while. Considering the war had been stretching on for months, 'carefree' wasn't a word they even considered using anymore._

_The new arrival was draped in a heavy, black cloak and was wearing a smirk on his lips; it was the king of Sorciere himself, Jellal Fernandes. Natsu, now speechless (Laxus couldn't help but think that this was a first and that the boy was never rendered speechless), fell back in his seat, still glaring at the bluenette. Said man moved further into the room, the candlelight from the dozens that were lit flickering ominously. Almost as if someone in that room was about to have their fate sealed. _

_"A womanizing asshole, hmm?" Jellal continued to speak, causing Laxus to narrow his eyes in distaste. Already this man was on his nerves, and he'd been talking for a total of thirty seconds. He couldn't help but growl under his breath once Jellal's eyes found Erza, travelling down her form in a way that made his skin crawl. How dare he!_

_"So, have you told her yet, Makarov?" Jellal turned his attention back to the old man, waiting for a response. Laxus' stomach churned as his mind conjured up an idea. But, it couldn't be, could it...? His grandfather would never agree to something so...absurd_.

_"I was getting around to it, Jellal," Makarov sound exhausted, dead even. Laxus, at that point, knew what his grandfather had promised, to a 'her', and he really didn't want to hear it, yet at the same time he had to._

_"Tell us _what_, Grandfather?" Laxus' whole body was tense with barely containable rage; the man just wanted to punch the cocky king in the face so hard his ancestors would feel it. Mira, too, he noticed, was openly glaring at the young king with a look of mistrust, to which there was no reply._

_"Jellal here has...kindly offered his kingdom's support for one of our own's hand in marriage."_

* * *

How could someone so...infuriating become so kind and overprotective in less than 24 hours? He knew Erza had that kind of affect on people, but this was a feat even for her. Or was what happened back home simply a poorly displayed act that was slipping already? He was confused, why would the king lie to their faces about himself? Why get them intentionally aroused?

Jellal, on the other hand, knew Laxus was looking at him, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. He chuckled lightly; if he was being honest, he didn't know himself. He remembered their meeting from the day before, crystal clear, and he wondered why he did what he did. He hadn't acted so cocky with the other kingdoms, why with Erza? Why with Magnolia? His mind couldn't come up with a logical answer, and that confused him further. Why did it make his head hurt simply thinking about it all?

* * *

_"Really, Dragneel, you should have a bit more respect for your king," his voice rang through the room, carefree and as light as day. _

_He was draped in a heavy, black cloak and was wearing a smirk on his lips. Natsu, now speechless, fell back in his seat, still glaring at the bluenette. Said man moved further into the room, the candlelight from the dozens that were lit flickering ominously. Almost as if someone in that room was about to have their fate sealed. Little did the Magnolians know at the time, that was what was exactly going to happen._

_"A womanizing asshole, hmm?" Jellal continued to speak, letting his eyes roam the faces of the room's occupants, searching for one face in particular. That one face that had been haunting him since he'd caught a glimpse of it, what seemed like ages ago. Truly, it was ages ago, and he lived through the misery of loneliness everyday since. He hadn't been able to touch another woman without picturing _her_. Finally, he found it, and he let his eyes roam her form hungrily. Scarlet locks of hair framed her perfectly shaped face, full of colour and life, that was drained as soon as she noticed his gaze lingering on her. Continuing south, he took in her bountiful assets and rounded hips, ending at her legs that seem to stretch on for miles. "That's a bit judgmental, don't you think?"_

_His eyes didn't deceive him that day so long ago in a seemingly far away land, then. But who was she to agree with her pink-haired idiot of a friend?_

_Erza had been eyeing him with distaste, no doubt uncomfortable with how he was running his eyes down her body; unfortunately for her, there was no way of stopping him. The deep burgundy gown she wore was sleeveless and backless, and had a small trail, and the neckline was cut deliberately low; low enough for Jellal to get quite an eyeful. The lacework on the corset was detailed, the front of the skirt opened up as a curtain would, revealing the black underskirts that were cut in a similar fashion to make it look like the dress had ruffled added onto it._

_"So, have you told her yet, Makarov?" Jellal turned his attention back to the old man, waiting for a response. Of course, he knew, that the old man had not told them yet, and had been secretly hoping he'd help them without taking one of their princesses. Fat chance. She was to be his and his alone. For some unknown reason, the very thought of another man touching her sent his mind into a turmoil of pure rage. He couldn't help it; she was so intoxicating that there was no words for it._

_"I was getting around to it, Jellal," Makarov sounded tired. For a moment, Jellal felt bad for acting ever so arrogant, but then he remembered why he was here and why he had to be assertive. Straightening up, he fixed the man with a smirk._

_"Tell us what, Grandfather?" The prince was glaring at him, just as his wife was. Jellal was used to it all, being who he was with the kind of personality and attitude he harboured._

_"Jellal here has...kindly offered his kingdom's support for one of our own's hand in marriage."_

* * *

Why deceive Erza's family? Deep in thought, he frowned, his reason unclear. It had only been a day, yet he still couldn't remember why he did it? What the hell was wrong with him?

"Who's this Zeref that was brought up recently?" Laxus asked, bringing himself out of his thoughts for the time-being. There were bigger issues than bi-polar royalty on their hands at the moment.

"He's apparently a General for the army," Erza remembered the painstaking introduction she and Juvia had gotten. "I'm going to guess top 5, at least."

"Top 5? Try leader's right-hand man." Jellal folded his arms, leaning back against the metal pole of the bed frame. His mind was burning, overtaken by rage, but at the same time he kept his cool, knowing he'd have to explain as much as he knew about Zeref to them now or suffer later. His wife had proven that she could handle herself, but at the same time, he wanted to make sure she'd never have to face Zeref in her life. But, sadly, the chances of keeping her away from this war were very, very slim.

The male trio from Magnolia turned to the ultramarine, their eyes widening dramatically (at least, in Natsu and Gray's cases). "What?"

"Zeref, you could say," Jellal began, "is in a sense leading the army. Do you know the story of Zeref?"

Everybody in the room shook their heads no. Nodding absentmindedly, he began.

"Zeref was a mage with extraordinary powers, a long, long time ago. However, his ideals overpowered the concepts of truths, and his actions soon reflected how deranged he really, truly was. Mavis, the founder of Magnolia, banished him from what at the time was a whole country to keep her people safe. Her sons had used their magic to bind him down to a large rock in the Lost Lands to keep him from ever coming back. At least, that's what we thought," sighing, he ran a hand down his face. "Recently, however, he came back and has been threatening myself and my sister into giving him our kingdom. We didn't know he worked for the war forces until today, though."

They nodded slowly, taking in his words.

Natsu was confused, just as Laxus was. His perception of people and their personalities was top-notch, and has never been wrong before. Something within him told him that he'd see Jellal somewhere before, and that he was bad news. But was he really? What was going on here? Whenever thinking back, he could only remember small, small things. Small snippets of a larger memory, snippets that made him recoil in despair.

_"Natsu!" _

_"Erza! Lucy! Gray!"_

_Screams, shouts, cries and roars surrounded him, along with a man's deep, deep chuckling. Snarling in rage, the fire-breather whirled, his fists filled with his element, ready to strike down the blue-haired stranger, who was surrounded by destruction that rained down upon them. _

_A stranger that he could now identify as Jellal._

Jellal watched Natsu's face, watched the fleeting emotions of confusion, despair, and anger. He couldn't even begin to theorize what was going through the rosette's mind.

"Your Highness?" Rob's voice broke through his panic, shaking him out of the reverie. Blinking and jumping slightly, he turned his attention to the only elder left in his life, nodding and motioning for him to continue. "Would you like to know of Mrs. Fullbuster's condition?"

Attentive eyes and hears turned to the older man, waiting impatiently to hear of their friend's current status. Gray was shaking, unsure if he wanted to hear this or not. What if she was to lose the baby? How could he face his wife tomorrow knowing he let her down, and tell her their baby was no more, that it would never be born?

"Who is the husband?" Rob's eyes sought out the young man's face, waiting for the black-haired boy to jump to his feet hastily, walking over to where he stood with a stack of parchment. When the woman had first been brought in, the baby was the first thing they checked up on, knowing with no doubt it would need more attention than its mother. The report he managed to put together, however, wasn't necessarily a pleasant one.

"Sh-She's okay, right doctor?" Gray's voice shook, and later he may or may not hate himself for it, but for now he didn't really care. Erza and Natsu both slipped out of their seats, moving over to where their brother-figure stood, shaking straight to the core, and offered their hands. Tightly grasping them and nodding his thanks, the trio waiting for the final testament.

"She's infertile, isn't she?"

Gray, eyes screwed shut at this point, nodded, the familiar words stabbing through him with a searing pain. He remembered the day they had found out; it hadn't been a good one. Juvia had been heartbroken and had refused to eat anything for days, resulting in Gray being equally depressed. Yet at the same time they both had their duties to commit to and didn't see much of each other. It had almost been the end of their marriage when Gray finally got a hold of her, and the fight to follow had been hot-tempered and filled with tears and regretful words. In the end, thankfully, it had worked out, and their marriage was better than ever.

"Yes, well, that was the first thing we picked up on," Rob fixed the man in front of him with a stern gaze, signalling bad news. Or, to some extent, news better than what they could hope for. "The drugs they used to knock your wife out were extremely strong and _could _have a lasting affect on the baby. However, at this point, I cannot detect any wrong with the baby, for your wife's incredible magic had already washed out most of the poison and toxins. Still, it's too early to confirm the baby's health, but they are fine as we speak."

"Doctor, is there a chance the baby may be a stillborn?" Erza asked, her voice soft and dreading the answer. She could only imagine the pain her two friends would go through if that were the case. Like Gray, she remembered the day their arguing had gotten so out of hand, their marriage had been on the line. With this, no doubt, Juvia might be guilt-stricken enough to call it quits.

"Yes, and that's probably our biggest worry right now. Someone, a trained professional if you may, should keep an eye out for the woman and give her a daily check up to make sure that if and probably when there are changes, they can be handled properly and according as soon as possible."

The Magonlian family was heartbroken, but knew this was better than what could've happened. Gray in particular was feeling low, unable to think that there was nothing he could've done because really there was something he could've done. Anything to prevent this from happening at all would've been fine, for crying out loud!

"T-Thank you, doctor," Gray sounded dead, and everyone in the room who knew him for a long period of time could tell he was eating himself up and spitting himself up. Erza and Natsu shared a look, silently agreeing that Natsu should be the one to confront their childhood friend, because really, Erza couldn't connect with him at all. With one last squeeze, she headed back over to Jellal, who was now standing beside Laxus.

Jellal watched his wife walk over, a sad expression on her face. He knew there wasn't much he could do, or say, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his side, sharing his own warmth and comfort with the quivering woman. She curled up into his embrace, silently thanking him for the gesture by pressing a smile into his side. He really could be considerate if he put his mind to it, but at the same time he could be a total and complete jackass. But now he was speaking, "Erza, Laxus and I were talking, and we've agreed upon one thing: Ivan Dreyar is going to make his move, however soon. We can roughly take a guess, but we should also be prepared."

Laxus nodded, gazing down at his little sister with a look of concern. "Yes. I will contact my grandfather and tell him of this development, as well as order him to get the armies ready. The three of us, and Juvia of course, will remain in Sorciere for a while longer, in case Ivan decides to try his luck over here. Tomorrow morning, we'll make battle plans."

"Are we being targeted?" Natsu inquired, crossing his arms. He could only think of Lucy, and worry over whether or not the blonde would be taken care of properly. Of course, she would, with her nakama at her side. Gajeel wouldn't let anything happen to anyone, if he knew what was good for him, and Mira, he knew, could murder in droves if she pleased. Lucy also had her spirits, and despite how often Loke annoyed him and Lucy with his 'love', the rosette knew the lion spirit would never let anything happen to his precious master.

"I would think so," Laxus' answer was dry as sand. "Considering the bastard wants Makarov's throne."

"Are the Generals coming out yet?" Erza wondered, glancing over at all of them. Helpless shrugs met her question, and she frowned, unsure of how they were to plan when they didn't really know who or what they were going up against. Especially, now, with the development of this 'Zeref' mage, who Jellal seemed reasonably wary about.

"Well, we know one of them, and we know they have a lot of them," Lyon mused. Throughout the whole ordeal, he had stayed quiet, mulling over Juvia's situation and his own, with his wife. Earlier, they had argued over useless things, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind; Ultear was shouting incoherent words at him one minute, and stalking off in tears the next. He figured it was better to let her cool down before confronting her rather than getting caught in her warpath. "Have we dealt with any of them before?"

"Even if we had, we wouldn't have known. They didn't give us a specific title, much less speak of the Generals. We're at a standstill, with information at least. Their demons are easy enough to deal with, since Deliora is the only exception to that so far-"

A 'bang' interrupted their conversation, startling all of them and causing a few to jump. Several more followed the first, one after another, and they felt the castle rumble. In the distance, roars, too, were audible over the loud sounds. Cries of pain, panic, and orders from guards followed the ensured pandemonium.

"Guess 'however soon' is five minutes after stated?" Jellal growled, letting go of Erza and racing out of the room. Silently thanking the architectures for putting the infirmary on the bottom floor, he ran through the grand hall in pursuit of the main doors. He was vaguely aware of the others following them, but he paid no heed, only worrying about his people and their safety.

Reaching his destination, he pushed the great doors open, rushing out onto the cliff that overlooked his kingdom. Fires burned bright, their sparks filled the night sky with a sparkle that was just was deadly as they were beautiful. The villagers were battling the flames with water and anything else that could help, and the scattered night guards were fighting with the hoards and hoards of demons that were seemingly everywhere.

He felt Erza slip into the spot on his right, gasping at the sight of his burning kingdom. Laxus was suddenly shouting at them all, his voice slightly overriding those of the cannons and monsters, indicating that they should get in and fight. Natsu was already racing down the path, eating up whatever fire was in his way, roaring and bringing down whatever was in his warpath. The monsters burned and shrivelled under his touch, and the fire-breather was fast on his feet.

Gray and Lyon were running next, freezing demons whole until the coldness was too much to bear and they turned into a pile of blackened ashes within the crystalline ice. Freezing over fires whole, they saved trees from burning under to cinders and citizens from dying under the burning swatches of greenery. They knew that they wouldn't be much use in a fight against fire, unlike Natsu, so they stuck with evacuation.

Laxus, however, was in his element as well. He followed, flying through the air and sending tremendous lighting bolts slamming into the ground from the graying skies and frying whatever they hit, charring the ground surrounding the target for a good 50 meter radius. His fists, too, came crashing down, as he was also trained as a hand-to-hand fighter.

Erza was hesitant. She had never seen such a look on Jellal's face before, and it honestly scared her. There was so much anger, despair and pain within those tea-green eyes that they were illuminated, shining under the tutelage of the night in a way unlike any other. She had once seen a man consumed by the same blood lust and said man still regretted it today. She wouldn't let her husband be consumed by the same, hauntingly belittling anger as he had been. "Jellal...?"

He wasn't listening. He was running, anger surrounding him like a suffocating wind, swallowing whole.

His kingdom was under fire.

* * *

**A/N: As promised, another 5k chapter for this week! I hope you enjoyed! Who was this 'other man' Erza speaks of? The hell is Jellal gonna do, I mean he's so mad? Thoughts? Opinions? Theories? Review with your love! :D I hope to update once again within the next two weeks, hopefully, but you never know, because Spring Break is almost over. Don't forget to review, I love you all!**


	6. Anger

**A/N: This chapter was extremely hard to write because going into it I didn't know what I wanted to do ; A ; That being said, I apologize deeply for the wait and I hope you can find it somewhere in your hearts to forgive me; I had a huge English assignment due along with a french test and project, soooo...yeah. ****Awaaaahhh, it's dedicated to my amazing Maddie who was willing to let me spoil a hell of a lot of the story for approval. She's amazing and I love her so much:)!**

**A few of you have been wondering about Jellal's bipolar personality, but that will be explained with time :) (And Maddie knows why kukuku)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Anger **

**"****Jellal stared hard, unsure of he was really seeing what his eyes were telling him he saw.**"

* * *

Erza grit her teeth, racing down the path and after Jellal. Requipping into her Heaven's Wheel armor, she summoned as many swords as she could and took down whatever was in her way, jumping over carnage and helping whoever needed it. A temperamental king came after panic-ensured citizens, at least in her mind they did; she could find Jellal quickly enough, she hoped, but Sorciere was a huge kingdom.

"Erza! Where is Jellal running?" Laxus cried over the roars and screams. She threw him a glance to find him wrestling with one of the demons, his hands slick with the black blood they all produced. By now, they had been covered in said substance too many times to count, but at the same time they didn't have a moment or two to waste being disgusted. In that moment or two, they could die.

"I don't know, he's mad!" Erza yelled back, gripping her sword's hilt harder. The metallic headband pulled back the strands of scarlet, keeping them out of her face and sending them cascading down her black like a waterfall of blood. Ashes got caught between the tresses, the blackened-gray standing out against the stark red. The look of pure rage, blood-lust even, on Jellal's face was downright frightening, and she knew she had to stop him before he did something he would regret.

By any means necessary.

* * *

He was running, fast and hard, across the burning plains, choking occasionally on the ashes that filled the air, and soon his lungs. Some part of his mind echoed the thought of how unhealthy Rob explained this to be. The other part chimed in and told it to shut up. _Great, _he thought bitterly. _I'm going insane. This is exactly what I need right now; two little voices inside my head giving me useless tidbits of information in a time of crisis._

Now on the outskirts of town, Jellal examined the darkness in front of him, searching for the all-to-familiar magic source he'd felt earlier, atop the cliff with Erza. His head hurt from all the over-thinking, from coming up with all the worst-case scenarios, but he didn't think for one second that it _wasn't_ him. Replaying memories within his mind, he could only hope _they _had gotten out in time. His heart was suddenly hurting, flashes of white-hot anger and sadness ripping through him and clouding his sense of logic. Red haziness shrouded his vision, setting the darkness aflame.

It was then that loud, booming laughter shook the world.

Jellal stared hard at the silhouette atop the cliff overlooking the kingdom, just in front of him, unsure of he was really seeing what his eyes were telling him he saw. Through the red haze, he wasn't really sure if he should believe them. Because, really, it couldn't be _him_.

His uncle stood atop the mass, staring down at him with a smirk playing his lips. Even for a man his age, Faust emitted an aura of power and malice; a horrible duo. The white hair was pulled back, held back by a band of obsidian metal, and the man was dressed in the demon army's colours; black and burgundy-red. He stood there with a relaxed posture, too, as if he didn't have a care in the world. Jellal growled and made fists out of his hands; his appearance never meant anything good was about to happen. In fact, the complete _opposite _was probably going to happen.

"Hello, _nephew_," the old man sneered. He stared down at the ultramarine with a look of contempt, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back against the tree behind him. The boy stood among burning ashes and embers, the kingdom of Sorciere burning to a crisp in the background; it delighted him that things were crashing around them, for that was the original intention. It had been _his_ intention, anyway. "It's...ah, _pleasant_ to see you again."

"_You_," Jellal snarled. His mind was blank, nothing but shards of memories of that fateful night flashing through it. Cries echoed through his mind, bouncing off the walls of his sanity. Sanity that was slowly slipping away into nothingness.

Preparing himself, Faust jumped, landing gracefully onto the ground in a crouched position and rising. Jellal got into a defensive stance, his eyes piercing through the darkness. Without any more words being exchanged, the duo fell into an intense battle, magic flying everywhere and burning the ozone to a crisp. It was becoming increasingly harder for either to breath, but Faust laughed breathlessly, enjoying the sight of his damnable nephew coughing and spluttering between attacks.

The fight dragged on, neither party giving on; at some point, Jellal's shirt had been reduced to tatters and fell off his form, exposing the rock-hard plains of tanned, scarred skin to his nemesis. Gritting his teeth, he realized Erza had his cloak; there was nothing to protect his from the dust flying through the air.

It was then that the red-haired woman herself happened to stumble upon the fight, by luck, for she had been looking for any of her family members. She was racing down the pathway and wearing one of her armors. Jellal turned hastily, glaring at her as she landed beside him and held up her sword, blocking off one of Faust's attacks. Both men stopped mid-tirade, disgruntled by the sudden turn of events.

"Erza, get out of here," her husband hissed, gripping her hand and trying to push her away. Of course, her stubbornness made an appearance, and she stood her ground, digging her heels into the softened earth and glaring up and into Jellal's mesmerizing tea-green irises. However, before she could retort at least one reason why she should stay, Faust started laughing, catching both of their attentions.

"Ah, this must be your wife," Faust smirked evilly. The familiar face of the redhead his nephew treasured so many years ago was in front of him, his nephew's hands gripping her own. Ivan would destroy them all, and then Faust would finally get his hands on the blasted kingdom his brother deprived him of. Of course, that didn't mean that in the mean time he wasn't allowed to have some fun with Jellal and co, did it now? "It's nice to see you again, Miss _Scarlet_."

Erza was confused, to say the least. Jellal was gripping her hand so hard she was pretty sure some of the bones had fractured, but their attention was solely on the General in front of them. He stood with aloof arrogance, and Erza could tell, straight off the bat, the man's magic was not something to be taken lightly. "I have never met you before in my life, you foul being. How would you know of my maiden name? Unless, of course, you're a General?"

Ah yes, Faust remembered that plan. Sneering in their direction, he moved forward, an action that didn't go unnoticed by either of them. They tensed, glaring at him and Erza gripped the hilt of her katana tighter. "You picked a smart one, nephew. Yes, Scarlet, I am a General. Ivan's General 2, which is as high up as any of us can get."

Nephew? Erza stole a quick glance at Jellal, but his jaw was set and he wouldn't dare look anywhere but Faust. Suddenly, they were airborne, Faust having made his move, flying into the dirt meters from where they stood. Coughing, she rolled around in the mud for a moment before realizing Jellal was already back onto his feet and running through the rising dust. Raising herself, she squinted and winced as her eyes started watering.

She stumbled through the debris, gritting her teeth and moving sluggishly towards the sounds of the explosions and shouting. Finally, after a few minutes of blind navigation, she found herself running towards Jellal's back. His magic was going haywire, sparking and sizzling, and Erza was afraid it may end up hitting him. Reaching him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him from the back, something she automatically knew would calm him down. And she was right; immediately, she felt his magic become tamer, and Jellal relaxed into her hold. He was angered, thriving blood, and Erza knew she absolutely had to calm him down before he did something he would regret.

"Erza?" His voice was hoarse, as if he was unsure of what was going on. Turning his head to glance over his shoulder, he found her clinging to his torso, her face gazing up at him with worry shining in her amber irises. Continuing his spell, he pulled out of his grasp only to grab her waist and pull her to him, holding her close and against his side; she was out of the way of the attack, for the most part. He glowered in remembrance of the earlier attack that had hit her as well as himself; he wouldn't let it happen again.

Faust was adamant with his own attacks, aiming for openings and roaring once Jellal expertly covered them whilst counterattacking. He wanted this man's blood on his hands, he wanted it spilled. It was his fault his sister suffered so much, it was his fault the Fernandes family had fallen apart. Jellal wanted Faust dead, by any means necessary. He knew Erza was speaking to him, trying to convince him to calm down, but he couldn't. He was beyond reason, and he knew Erza felt it.

"You'll be dead by dawn, Faust!" Jellal roared, opting to shove Erza aside and began with own of his ace attacks, to only hear Faust's next words.

"Ah, but m'dear nephew, I am leaving now and it is not dawn. Don't make claims you cannot immediately achieve, son, or has your pathetic father taught you nothing before his, ah...unfortunate death?"

With a final laugh, and before Jellal could scream out his response, Faust was gone like a breath of nauseating wind.

Jellal stood still, staring ahead of him. Unsure of what to do, Erza reached out, wrapping a hand around his upper arm and shuffling closer to him; to her dismay, he pulled out of her grasp and turned to face her, a stony look on his face. "Why didn't you run?"

"I wasn't just going to lea-"

"You should've!"

"Jellal, I am more than capa-"

"He's my prey, Erza, and damn it you got hurt by being in the way." Angrily, he stepped forward, with every intention of pulling her into his grasp and holding her close. But to his surprise, she sidestepped out of the way and offered him a heated glare. "I'm not yours to own," she snarled. "We may be on good terms but we are nowhere near the level where you could call me your's. No, we never will be, because I'm _not a possession to be owned_."

He stared at her, hard, and it was then that a sinister voice inside of his mind spoke up, hissing like a viper. It floated through his senses like a command, and he found himself following it. _Prove to her who is the Alpha in this marriage. She must be tamed. _

Jellal moved forward so suddenly Erza didn't have time to react or evade his grip again, and soon his mouth was moving against her's harshly, angrily, bruising the plump, pink-toned skin of her lips. Crying out in refusal, she tried to pull out of his hold, but to no avail; his hands held with with a steel-like strength and his lips were equivalent. So, she fell back on simply waiting until he was done; going slack, she closed her eyes and waited for the moment to pass, a sliver of fear running up her spine. One of his hands left her waist and clamped down on her head, the fingers pulling the scarlet strands taut. He pulled away to catch his breath, smirking down at the fear on her face; _good_, a part of him thought. _The defiance is gone_. Another part was screaming for him to stop, but that side of him was easily overridden.

"Jellal," she gasped, wincing as he pulled on her hair. She began struggling again, slamming her fists against his chest. What was wrong with him all of a sudden? It was as if someone was controlling him; this wasn't the same Jellal as before, and she knew something had shifted within the ultramarine. What, exactly, was what she wasn't sure of. "Jellal stop it!"

Her voice came like a slap to the face, and Jellal found himself releasing her with a confused expression making its way onto his face and pushing the sinister thoughts and intentions aside. Blinking, he glanced down to find Erza staring up at him, her lips bruised and normally silky hair tangled, stray strands plastered to her forehead. He brought a hand up to her face with the thought of cupping it and stroking her cheek with his thumb, but he was hurt to find her flinching and stepping away, averting her eyes. He had no recollection of the last few minutes and by her appearance, he could tell something ghastly happened.

"Erza?" His voice was soft, and trembled slightly. She looked up, finding him staring at her looking utterly lost and regretful. "What did I do?"

He reached out for her again and after a moment of hesitance, she let him pull her against his front, rocking her back and forth. Pressing his face into her hair, he vaguely recalled his anger at her recklessness, before he tried to grab her and she sidestepped his outstretched hand. Then she had snarled about not being a possession, and the memory ended at that point, with Erza's furious face and clenched fists, the katana in her hands having dropped to the floor in her tirade. What had happened after that, for Erza to be so distant?

Erza let him hold her tightly, unsure of what had brought on the sudden change in his personality. She really couldn't keep up with all his attitudes and comments anymore, and she was tired with trying. "You assaulted me," her voice was quiet, but flat and emotionless; how else could she word what had just happened? She felt him freeze, stiffen to the point where he was harder than a board, before he started shaking again.

"Did I really?" Jellal sounded worried at the prospect, which further deepened Erza's confusion. Did he really not know of what had just happened, or was he that good of an actor? No, she knew, inside, that what had just happened had not been Jellal, but something else. The question now was what exactly had that been?

"I'm sorry Erza, I don't know what happened," his voice was hoarse with emotion, for he really didn't know how to apologize to the redhead for what he did. She didn't respond, but rather pressed herself further into his arms. They stood like that, clinging to each other, for a bit, unsure of what else they should be doing.

"Can we go find the others now?" She asked, looking up at his face with tender affection splayed out against her own facial features. He smiled and nodded, bending down to kiss her forehead first. Pulling her against his side, he led them back up the path that led into the city, where the flames were now burning down and sizzling out, and the people were helping each other out. They walked down one of the main paths, and several dozen people stopped what they were doing to acknowledge their king and their queen, who some of them had already realized Erza was. Unsure, she smiled back and waved, rising smiles from the people she would soon help rule over. Jellal watched, prideful.

"Erza! They heard Natsu's voice and turned in the direction of the sound, finding the Magnolia trio standing among the ashes, Natsu waving frantically. Muttering under her breath about how dense the idiot could be, she pulled Jellal over to her family, climbing up the short flight of stairs and finding herself being pulled into their arms.

"We thought you were taken!" Natsu cried, shaking her. "Don't do that!"

She laughed, grinning at her friends. "Do you think I won't be able to handle myself?"

Jellal smiled softly at his wife, before meeting Laxus' eyes and the duo shared a grim look; they both knew things would only get worse from this point. Especially with Faust's involvement, Jellal knew there was no way of getting out of this war without shedding blood; he'd have to see how many soldiers he lost that night once he got back to the castle. Though, standing there in the darkness of the dead of night surrounded by ashes and his people, the only thing he wanted to do was pull Erza into their bed with and get back to what they had been doing earlier that night. Was that only a few hours ago? It seemed like so much longer.

"Look at this," Laxus' voice cut through their conversation, causing the trio to turn and walk over to where Jellal and Laxus were leaning over a certain part of the floor; joining them, they took in a sharp breath as they read the words engraved into the flooring.

'WE ARE COMING FOR YOU.'

"So," Natsu started since everyone else was silent. "The war's going to erupt now."

They all nodded, looking at each other. Jellal, be it subconsciously or not, reached out and grabbed Erza, pulling her close and clenching his teeth. His uncle's sins would be dealt with accordingly, by him and him only; next time, he'd make sure Erza wasn't anywhere near the fight. Memories of the previous fight flashed through his mind; when had his uncle met Erza before? And why did she not remember this?

It was then, though, Jellal had another shock.

Turning his head to look out over his kingdom, he caught the eye of a small bluenette who was staring up at him, sadness written across her petite features and lighting her chocolate-brown eyes. His breath caught, and his own eyes widened considerably; what was she doing all the way in the core of the village? "We-"

Turning, she raced down the pathway, her feet hitting the floor softly and not making a sound. He was vaguely aware of Erza calling him, but he paid no heed; pushing her into Laxus, he took off, racing down the street and ignoring everything but the slight being running away from his fleeing form.

What was she doing here, of all places? And where was _he, _her guardian? Why was she out alone? All these questions raced through his head, but he shoved them aside and pushed himself harder, hoping to catch up to the girl fast; it was going to be a challenge, but there was nothing to stop him.

* * *

"What the hell?" Natsu was grumbling, staring at the road Jellal just tore down. His nose had alerted him to another powerful source of magic; however, it had been a come and go kind of smell, for it was now gone. Did it belong to whoever Jellal had ran after? His coat rustled in the invisible wind, the tattered ends slapping against his legs. The official militia colours didn't match his white-scaled scarf, but he didn't care; the scarf was his good luck charm and was extremely important to him, Lucy excluded. His heart yearned for his dragon mate, but he knew bringing her with them would be a bad idea, especially since there was so much destruction already occurring. He could only hope Gajeel and the others would keep her safe.

"Was he chasing someone?" Gray asked, eyeing his friends. His head just wasn't in it; his wife and child were in danger and there was nothing he could do to help them. He had his hands in the pockets of his own militia coat; it was long, black and left open, the ends flapping in the wind and the silver-lined edges catching in the light of the moon, glimmering softly under the tutelage of the moonlight. Granted, he wasn't wearing anything else besides the black pants that were tucked into his boots, but the man never got cold; being an ice-mage had its perks.

"Possibly," Laxus crossed his arms across his chest, his own coat's dark material pulling taut as his muscles strained. Leaning against the lamppost, he stared down the dark path, his eyes avoiding the citizens as they aided one another and fixed up whatever they could; much like Magnolia, they were a happy bunch, led by a just ruler. "But do you all get the feeling we know him from somewhere else?"

Natsu started, staring hard at the blonde. "Yeah, I keep thinking that he's a bad guy, but I don't know why. It's like a half-erased memory; all I remember is standing in destruction and fighting with a bluenette who looks like Jellal...but I don't remember where or when this was. But then we came here and he's all protective and lovey-dovey with Erza and I don't know what to think anymore! My brain hurts!"

"Erza? What do you think?" Gray asked, poking the redheaded woman beside him. She started, a sure sign she had been lost in her thoughts, and eyed the floor.

"I don't know why," she began so quietly the others had to move closer to hear her. "But...a part of me, a huge part, keeps telling me...we've, Jellal and I, been through all the basics before. I mean..." she trailed off for a second, gathering her thoughts. She knew she had to tell them, because it was proving to be a huge problem and there was no one in this world she trusted more than the three people in front of her, save for Lucy and Mira, who were both at home. "I mean it's as if we've fallen in love before," she ended off in a whisper, ashamed with herself. Was she allowed to feel this way? She didn't think so; he was a stranger, and this was no cliche romance story. She was no princess, or a damsel in distress; she was a hardened warrior.

Soft arms found their way around her shoulders, and she realized with gusto that Gray and Natsu were smiling softly at her whilst hugging her to their bodies. Both men knew not to tease the requip mage when she was at her worst, or vulnerable, and this was one of those times.

"Don't worry Erza," Natsu grinned widely at his sister; no, they weren't related by blood, but that wouldn't stop him from loving her all the more like a brother would love a sister. They shared a bond that was unbreakable, no matter what. He wouldn't let her insecurities stop them from being a family, nor would he let the fact that they were in different kingdoms stop him. "We'll get to the bottom of this eventually!"

Laxus wasn't big on bodily contact for sympathetic support, but he leaned into the small group hug and offered his little sister a half-smile. She was extremely close to him, and he hated seeing her so confused. "You've always had the best judge of character between everyone in Magnolia; if you're heart's telling you he's the one, then he's the one. Don't doubt that, or yourself for that matter, alright?"

Gray snorted, unable to hold back his laughter. Choking, he smirked at Laxus, his hold on Erza tightening somewhat. He hated seeing Erza upset, for he treasured her like a sister just like the other two, and this was the perfect opportunity to make her laugh. He didn't know if Laxus did it on purpose or not, but he wasn't going to let something like that just slide; the man just lost some serious manly points. "Dude, when did you get so emotional? Going through a phase, are you?"

Erza giggled, followed by Natsu, whilst Laxus growled and smacked Gray's head, hard. This is why her family couldn't be topped by anyone else as far as she was concerned; they were perfectly imperfect and she wouldn't change it for the world. They were the impossibly hard to deal with idiots that came together in the time of need to help one another, just like now.

* * *

Jellal had been running for what seemed like hours now; when did she get so damn fast? And just where the hell was she running?

"Stop chasing me!" The fear in her voice made his heart ache painfully. So now she was scared of him? She really _did _think it had been his fault; throwing caution out the window, he kept running, hoping she'd lead him to _him _as well. Tripping over the broken cobblestone, he winced as he slammed into the ground, the air getting knocked out of his lungs. She stopped, turning to stare down at him with regret in her eyes, but again, she turned and kept running.

"Wendy! Wendy don't go!" His voice wasn't lost, but the little girl trembled with indecision; pausing mid-step, she thought it over. It had been so long, too long...What would her brother say if she brought him with her? Really, he wouldn't mind, would he...?

"Please Wendy, don't go, it's been too long since I've seen you," Jellal's voice cracked as he sat up, and that was the deciding factor. Turning, she whimpered and ran to his side, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around him. Glad, he responded, pulling her into his lap and rocking her back and forth. They clung to each other, sitting in the middle of a dirt-covered, deserted alleyway.

"Nii-san..." she cried, clinging to his front. Her dark-blue dress settled against her knees, rising up and bunching around her petite thighs. "I-I missed you."

"I missed you too, Wendy," the pain in his voice was amplified by the fact that she really did miss him; that could only mean there was one person holding her back from coming home. And that one person was nowhere to be found...yet. "How have you been?"

"I've been good," she stayed in his arms as he stood, moving to the side where they were shaded from prying eyes. He held up her, despite the fact she'd grown so much. Her short, blue hair had grown, now reaching the middle of her back. A part of him blew up with pride at how adorable she had gotten (not that she wasn't cute before), and he smiled at his little sister, kissing her forehead lovingly. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling close. "How about you, Nii-san?"

"Well," he decided to tell her, because she had every right to know. And maybe, just maybe, she'd come back. "I got married."

She gasped softly; when had this been? She observed her older brother's face and indeed found some semblance of happiness within his tea-green eyes, that hadn't been there the night she had left with her guardian. Happily, she clapped her hands together, her canines showing as she beamed at her older brother. "Really? When?!"

He laughed. He knew it would make her happy, and really, a part of him wanted to talk about Erza; why that was, he had no idea. He reminded himself to apologize to her once he got back, for he had run off so suddenly and without an explanation. "Yesterday. Her name's Erza Scarlet and she's from Magnolia. She was on the war council there, and it was an arranged marriage."

"Is she strong?" Wendy had heard stories of the Magnolia council and the strength they possessed, but she had never witnessed first-hand. Her brother, on the other hand, was married to one of them!

Flashes of her fight with Deliora flew through his mind, and just her inner strength, really, was phenomenal. A half-smile graced his lips. "Incredibly."

"Do you love her?" Wendy knew it wasn't fair to spring the question on the man, but she wanted to hear his answer.

"I-" He stopped, unsure of the answer. Did he like her? Most definitely. Erza Fernandes was extremely likable. Did he lust for her? That one went through his mind and he had to restrain himself to keep from blushing; he certainly lusted for her, for she was perfect and beautiful and kindhearted. Did he love her? "I'm-"

"Wendy, get away from him," a cool voice interrupted him, and Wendy gasped, looking over her shoulder to find her guardian standing a few feet away, anger written across his face.

Jellal found himself staring at a mirror-image of himself. "Brother."

"_Your Highness_," he spat back, the title rolling off his tongue.

* * *

**A/N: I think it's pretty damn obvious who 'brother' is and who raised Wendy, hmmm? xD. I hope I got the honorifics right, they were never my strength ; A ;'' Soooo, whatcha guys think? Where are Lyon and Ultear? What the hell is up with Jelly? Please, review with your love and keep me going; hopefully, you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter! Until then! :)**


	7. Whispers of the Past

**A/N: We're so close to 100 amg what. I love you all jesus christ. That being said, I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but it couldn't be helped ; A ; I had a busy April D: Shout out to all those beautiful people on Tumblr who wished me a happy birthday today, this one's for you! You guys all make my day jfc ily all! ; u ; All of you deserve to be happy too so enjoyyyyyyyyyy!**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Whispers of the Past**

**"You killed them."**

* * *

Jellal stared long and hard at the man standing across the street, his posture stiff as a board. His brother was the one who he had been looking for, and here he was. Angered, cold, and demanding Wendy back. How was he to react to the demand? No, how was he to react to seeing his brother again, after so many years of isolation from the family?

"Mystogan-nii," Wendy spoke up, her timid voice quiet. She had been turning her head back and forth between her two brothers, uncertain as to where this fight would lead. She was worried for Jellal's sake, for she knew of Mystogan's immense powers and strength. "Can't we-"

"Shush, Wendy," Mystogan answered coolly. He didn't want to snap at his little angel, but they had to leave and they had to leave now. He couldn't have Jellal knowing the truth so early in the game, for it would ruin everyone's chances of survival. He couldn't let him use Wendy's naivety to his advantage, and he couldn't have him convince her to come back to the castle with him. Not only would Wendy be exposed as their sister and put herself into danger in the process, but Jellal would be blindsided and won't be able to concentrate on the matter at hand, which was more important for the time being Mystogan hated playing the role of the villain, but he had no choice. "Come here, now."

"But-"

"_Now_."

At this point, Jellal himself was mad. Steaming, in fact. Who was his brother to treat Wendy the way he was? True, he had raised her over the last few years, but nonetheless that didn't give him a reason to believe he could get her to do whatever he wanted. She most definitely wasn't an animal to be pushed around. "Stop it, Myst."

The shrouded man turned sharply to glare at the king. The shortened name brought back too many painful memories of smiles, sunlight and days spent on the castle grounds playing games and being mere children without the weight of the world on their shoulders. It reminded him how drastically things had changed, how much more they were going to change. And he didn't like that, not one bit. "You lost the right to use that nickname on that night so many years ago, _Your Highness_. Wendy, come now."

Whimpering silently under her breath, she struggled out of Jellal's grasp and ran over to her other brother, clinging to his cloak and pressing her face into his side. She knew he was mad but she was upset with him, too; it had been too long since she'd seen her other brother. Really, she'd only heard stories of the man, but she'd finally gotten a chance to meet him. Yet at the same time, she didn't want to anger the one who raised her; in an attempt to quell her sadness, Mystogan ran a hand through her hair, bending slightly to kiss the top of her head before picking her up and letting her cling to the front of his cloak. His little sister was his will to live, but his morals and actions called for strict actions when necessary. An example being now. Turning, he began in the direction of their current location, spending no more breath on his twin.

"Mystogan, wait! Can we not at least talk?!" Jellal called after his brother. He stood there, watching their retreating backs for a moment, before deciding against running after them. Fighting the tears of dejection, he gathered himself up and turned, staring up at his castle and slowly started walking. It wasn't as if he expected anything different; really, he expected worst. A fist fight or physical conflict of sorts.

"You killed them," was the soft whispered that reached his ears. A soft whisper that broken down any of his fight spirit, and sent it packing. Gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes shut, he started running in the general direction of the castle. The wind whistled past his ears and the cold air froze his muscles over, but he paid no heed.

He couldn't look back.

* * *

The trio sat around the table, the dark room illuminated by nothing but a scarce amount of candles, all flickering and melting down to the stumps. Unlike the war council from of Magnolia, this room was cold and frightening, the iciness of the stoned walls spreading throughout the room like a sickly disease. The grown men were all bristling, waiting for someone to start picking a fight; stress, at this point, was an understatement.

"They are both stronger than we originally anticipated," Faust grunted. The white-haired man was annoyed with his company, which what he thought was good reason. They were dangerously close to having one of their ranks defeated, and the duo in front of him didn't care in the slightest. "What the hell is that about, huh? I thought the whole purpose of that damned spell was to lower their strengths and magic levels, all of them. Did it do the opposite?"

"Don't be stupid, Faust," Ivan spoke up haughtily, crossing his beefy arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair whilst lifting a leg onto the table. His confidence had grown due to the fact he was the own they were using as the face of their operation, and that confidence was now arrogance. Zeref eyed him with contempt, staying quiet whilst the two imbeciles before him argued. "It was to separate _them_, and you know that. Together, they would've defeated us years ago! But this...this is a new issue that has arisen. We should've killed him. Killing her would've caused too much of a revolt."

"Really? It doesn't seem that way, you piece of shit," the opposing man grunted in disbelief, ignoring the growl of anger sent his way. Ivan, not wanting to take any of Faust's snide comments, stood up and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Faust was about to go and cleave off his head, when Zeref stopped him with a hand.

"Don't worry yourself with Ivan Dreyar," he stated calmly. Linking his hands together, he placed his chain atop the tanned, nimble fingers. Plans ran through his head at an awe-demanding speed, blocking out the memories of his past life. "He'll become of no use soon enough and we shall dispose of him."

"Yet still! He's infuriating, why have you kept him with us for as long as you have?" Faust asked angrily, his voice rising up a notch. Zeref smirked, having been waiting for that question to be brought up. Of course, in this little game of war, he most definitely had an upper-hand over his foes, but he would play it out as long as he can do. He'd make them all suffer, make them all pay.

"You'll see in due time, old friend," he chuckled. Faust, time and time again, had proven to be an asset to the game; his bishop, of sorts. And his connections to the royals had proven to be useful more than once. Yes, Faust would be a comrade for a long, long time to come, unlike Dreyar, who would be gone after all was blown over. "In the meantime, see how much you can get out of our little captives. Use any means necessary, but don't kill them after you're done."

Faust's booming laughter bounced off the walls. He couldn't wait to go down into the dungeons and lead the interrogation himself. Not even an interrogation, but more so a torture session. If he was honest with himself, the first of many to come. "Of course. I can't wait to see how my niece reacts to seeing my face again."

* * *

"Erza, we should probably get some sleep," Laxus tried reasoning with her for the umpteenth time.

The Magnolia group sat around the infirmary, letting Gray be close to his wife, and yearned sleep; at least, they wanted the chance to attempt to sleep. Yet the unspoken rule among them all was that if one of them wasn't getting sleep, they all weren't, but in this case, they were willing to break the rule. They all looked completely exhausted, especially Erza and Gray, yet they all sat around, unable to take the initiative and try to force the solemn duo into a bed.

"He's strong," Natsu added in grudgingly. Despite his confusion and mulling over the ultramarine, the dragon-slayer now had no doubt in his mind that Jellal had thoughts of Erza's safety and comfort somewhere in his mind, whether it be in the forefront of his thoughts or the very back. "He'll be fine, and when he does come back he'll kick our asses for not getting you into bed."

Despite their situation, Erza cracked a smile, relenting. She was tired and yes, she knew Jellal was strong, but at the same time she wanted to stay up and wait for the man's return. However, her friends needed the sleep, too, and so nodding, she gave Gray a quick hug and waved at the other two, knowing they intended on using the infirmary as their room. They couldn't find neither Lyon or Ultear to lend them a room, and were more than content with the small beds and linen sheets.

Leaving the infirmary behind her, the young mage walked down the hallway that she knew led to Jellal's bedroom chambers, absentmindedly fingering her lucky necklace. Who had he ran after? Did it have something to do with this mysterious past that had already been brought up several times? Rubbing her aching temples, Erza entered her, their, room, shrugging off her husband's cloak and sliding under the covers, the soft cloths soothing her bruising skin.

Whatever it was, she'd deal with it later.

* * *

Jellal trudged up into his bedroom, stretching his arms and resisting the urge to yawn; it had been a tiring night, to say the least. He had been informed that the Magnolia crew had camped out in the infirmary, and that his wife had gone up into his chambers. He forced down the happiness in the fact she had been waiting for him and refused to sleep until she was forced. It brought hope to his heart.

Closing the door behind him quietly, he turned and found Erza's unmoving form under the sheets, facing the other way. Dawn light cast a soft glow across the room, illuminating the various surfaces with a golden glow. Had it only been yesterday that Erza had come to Sorciere? It already felt like so long. Sighing, he kicked off his boots and gently lifted up the sheets, sliding his half-naked form onto the bed. He was too numb from the biting winds to care about the lacerations running the length of his torso, for all he wanted was some warmth and some sleep. Careful not to wake the slumbering redhead, he wrapped the sheets around them and quietly manipulated her form until she was facing him. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, relishing the feel of her skin against his.

Erza, upon being shifted, started, waking up and blinking up sluggishly. Years of being a General for Magnolia's army had turned her into a lightweight, and at the slightest movement she awoke, just as she would have to if there was an attack on the castle. Of course, she was relieved to find Jellal back in her arms, and smiled softly at him; her worry and mulling had been in vain, then. Upon further inspection, though, she saw the tiredness in his eyes, a tiredness that ran deeper than his muscles. It was a mental sort of fatigue, and she frowned softly. What, or who possibly, had he encountered outside that had gotten him into such a mood? "Welcome back. Anything wrong?"

He absentmindedly kissed her forehead, offering a lilt of his own lips to her but not responding, knowing that lying would really make no difference, but he really couldn't tell her the truth, not yet. He didn't want to ruin whatever image she had of him so soon, however selfish that might be. He couldn't tell her of the things he'd done, the things he'd seen, and expect her to stay close to him, could he? That was preposterous. No human alive and walking this planet would dare stay with a man who had red leaking off his ledger. "Nothing worth mentioning, no. I apologize for waking you."

Pressing her face against his pectorals and ignoring what was a blatant lie, she brought her own arms up around him. She knew she should be questioning why in hell she was already so comfortable with her husband as of the last day, but every irrational part of her mind was throwing caution out of the window. Her family had already accepted the strange circumstances of her trust, so she should too. She felt his grip tighten around her form thoughtfully; bringing her head up, she found him smiling down at her.

"I was thinking," he began. "You need a coronation ball. Some of our people have seen you already, but a formal ball is in order for our court and whatnot to know you are my wife and their queen. Since this war is upon us, I was thinking of having it done in about two weeks time? It's a tradition and other royalty must be present. Of course, we'll invite your family, and it'll be amazing, but if you don't want to it's fine."

Erza's cheeks reddened at the prospect of being introduced as Jellal's wife. Of course, she knew it would have to happen at some point, but a glorified ball? She didn't really like to be the center of attention, but the way his eyes sparkled whilst describing all the things they had to do as the royal couple caused her to reel backwards with her thoughts. There was also the fact it was a tradition; she remembered Mira's ball with clarity. How could she say no? "Of course we can have a ball, if that's what you want."

He smiled brightly at her, thoughts of sleep thrown aside in his excitement at claiming Erza as his own in public. Despite her openly-displayed dislike for her possessiveness, he couldn't help it; a huge part of him didn't want people ogling his wife. He didn't know what the root of the feeling was, and he didn't care enough to try and figure it out. All he knew was he wanted to integrate Erza into his kingdom as much as he could and as fast as he could.

It might have been in his happiness of being able to introduce Erza to his beloved people, and it might have been the fact that he was in dire need of some sleep, but Jellal bent down upon impulse and locked lips with Erza.

The requip mage froze, eyes widening, before she felt her control on her logic slipping as her lips started moving against his softly, a fire burning bright within her heart that she couldn't place. Why did this feeling feel so...right? No, was she wrong to go off on it, rather than avoiding it? She remembered her conversation with her older brother figures earlier, remembering their encouragement and support. After all, how wrong could a strong relationship between her and her husband be? He was the one she was wed to, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon; it was most definitely not a fling that could end tomorrow.

Jellal, now wide awake, realized what he had done. But his surprise came in when Erza started to respond, her touch uncertain and shaky, as if struggling with the concept of sharing a kiss. Smiling internally at how pure and innocent she was, he steeled himself and rolled over so her petite form lay under his, never breaking contact with her lips. Going on instinct, he brought his hands up to cup her face, the other tangling itself into her red locks. He growled after hearing a quiet mewl from the woman beneath him, the sound coiling his muscles taut. Where was all this, this...need coming from? At this point, the need was steadily morphing into want, desire, lust...and he didn't know how, why, or if he should stop it. There were too many holes in his logic, and his memory, for him to piece together anything at this point.

Erza brought her legs up to wrap themselves around his lower-half, bringing him in closer than before. Her arms winded themselves around his neck and she pulled on the blue tresses as much as she could without hurting him or ripping any of the strands off. The duo were ignorant to the world around them, drowning in the bliss that was providing by their spouse. Was this a sin? Was this a privilege? They may never know, but nonetheless their passion overflowed, originating from unknown recesses of their hearts.

During the duration of the kiss, both of them couldn't help but think that they had done this before, but that was crazy; they had only met the day before. How could they remember the joy of kissing each other if this was this first time doing so? That was impossible, was it not? Suddenly, they saw flashes of sunlight, heard ringing laughter, and saw flashes of naked skin. Gasping in pain as a sharp-shooting sting echoed through their minds, they pulled apart, panting.

"Jellal...? What was that?" Erza asked, her voice ragged. He leaned over her for a moment, the sheets lifting and pooling around their waists, before placing a tender kiss against her forehead. He was shaken up himself, both from the kiss and the sudden flashbacks, but he wouldn't show it. Lowering himself onto her and being cautious as to not putting his full weight onto her form (yet he didn't doubt she couldn't take it), he replied, "I...don't know."

She loosened her grip on his neck, turning her head to the side and letting the coolness of the silken sheets soothe the heated skin of her flushed face. She didn't know what had overcome her, and she felt off about the fact that she fell for Jellal so damn quickly, but she'd worry about that later. Right now, all that mattered was the man pulling her into his arms.

"How about we take the day off from royal duties and I show you around the castle?" He suggested. Really, he just wanted to spend some time with her, no matter what they did. She was his wife, and they hadn't really had time to properly bond or learn anything about each other yet, which he found disgruntling. What kind of husband would he be if he didn't even attempt to learn more about his wife? That and the fact he really did want to know more about the magnolian mage."At least for a little bit, then we can worry about the war. How about until your family members wake up? I daresay they'll be asleep for at least another hour."

And so, ignoring the protests of their bodies begging for a moment of sleep, the duo got out of the bed, walking around and grabbing clothes to change into. Jellal threw on a fresh, black shirt and changed his tattered black pants for another pair in white, leaving the top three buttons of his shirt undone and running a hand through his hair quickly. Erza changed into a midnight-blue dress that floated up to just about her knees, the sparkle-filled material whirling around and emphasizing the beauty of the woman's porcelain skin. Black lace embroidered the edges, a subtle yet elegant detail that made the dress all the more beautiful, but said object was no match for its owner. She left her hair down loose, and the dress was both strapless and backless, leaving the skin of her back and arms exposed. She wore no jewelry, save for the pendant that meant so much to her; the necklace was the only piece of jewelry she'd put up with wearing on a daily basis.

Walking up behind her as she observed herself in the mirror, he smiled softly and wrapped an arm around her waist, placing a soft kiss against her temple. Now, reflecting on his prior actions, he felt incredibly stupid and arrogant for even considering hurting the precious woman in his arms. What, really, had he been thinking? What good would it have done to have her isolated and hurt, away from him? His brow furrowed as he tried to pinpoint the root of his past solution, but found no memory.

"Ready to go?" He gently walked her towards the door, grabbing his boots as she grabbed her heeled sandals, and the duo departed. Walking down the sunlight-lit hallway, they nodded and smiled at all the passing by staff. Erza had been taught to treat their castle workers with respect, for they were humans too, and so she'd treat her husband's staff just the same. She was delighted to find that Jellal, too, treated her workers with the same kindness and gratitude King Makarov had treated them with, and felt her heart swell with pride.

Jellal led them out into the backyard of the castle, a vast field that branched off into training grounds to Erza, from this distance, what seemed like a garden. "The garden...the garden was my mother's," he began to explain quietly as they walked down the path in its direction. Erza glanced up at him to find a glassy look in his tea-green eyes, and gently pressed herself into his side as a comforting gesture. Tightening his grip, he kissed her forehead and continued talking. "I...well, after she died, both Ultear and I neglected the gardens, but our staff continued to take care of the flowers faithfully."

"I love gardening," Erza admitted to the man, smiling in memory of her own gardens back in Magnolia. It had been one of her favourite pass-times spent with her friends; memories of their family running wild whilst they worked away at conserving the rows and rows of roses, tulips and other blooming items. All those summer nights spent out under the stars...

* * *

_"Natsu, if you fall on the flowers I swear to every god out there I will personally send your ass to hell!" A 19-year old Erza cried out, glaring at the offending rosette. _

_The man gulped, nodding quickly, and running in the opposite direction of the redhead's beloved flowerbeds, avoiding the Ice Princess' outstretched fist. _

_The group was currently lounging outside in the backyard, simply being lazy an ignoring whatever duties they had; at least, Natsu, Gray and Gajeel were. The trio was arguing loudly, and they all knew it would soon evolve into a fist fight. A fist fight, then a full-scale battle, and Erza'd be damned if she let her precious flowers get trampled in the process. _

_Lucy and Levy moved around the flowers, trimming whatever needed to be trimmed and watering whatever needed the water. The duo, including Mira, would always help Erza with her gardening, for they found serenity in the job just as the requip mage did. They could see why she spent so much time worrying over the gardens; the pride they felt whilst observing the blooming of their roses and whatnot was indescribable. _

_"Gray, watch out!" Levy called out, wincing in sympathy as the man in question tripped on Gajeel's outstretched foot. The raven-haired ice mage went down, screaming out profanities, and landed in the muddy dent in the ground. Considering he wasn't wearing a shirt, it was a pretty bad situation. Of course, the duo dragon-slayers didn't think; laughing, they grinned down at their friend. _

_The day went on like that, the ladies relaxing and taking care of their precious flowers whilst their male friends invested their time in beating each other to a pulp, the others such as Laxus and Mira joining in as time wore on. It was what a normal day was like for the gang: wake up, yell at each other during the duration of breakfast in the main dining hall, train and fight whoever was willing until lunch, binge eat whatever was placed onto the table, and then spend their afternoons in the gardens until tea time. Then, they'd go back inside and do whatever they did with their spouses or friends, before heading off to bed. _

_That was, in all their eyes, the definition of perfection._

* * *

Erza smiled to herself. Her friends would definitely take care of her flowerbeds for her, because they meant a lot to them too. The represented the joy that their friendships, their family, brought to one another and was the face of their love. An unbounded love that, no matter what happens, would never fade away. Why? Because family stuck together, through thick and thin, no matter the weather and no matter the situation.

Jellal smiled widely. He couldn't help but think about how much Erza resembled the late queen, and that filled him with an indescribable joy. He had always been his mother's child, his father spending more time with Mystogan and training him for the role of the king; his mother had kept him all to herself, relishing the fact that he was free of the bindings of being a royal leader brought upon. He was the child that she could dote on and watch him grow into a man that was all himself, no royal court shaping him and altering his perspectives along the way. That didn't mean she didn't love Mystogan, heavens no, but she reveled in her younger son's presence more. "Good, because I was going to ask you if you would enjoy taking care of the gardens."

Erza blinked, glancing up at Jellal, before offering a smile of her own. The sun shone down upon them, the swaying branches of the trees that surrounded them filtering the harsh light into a soft, warm touch. A tall groove of sakura trees stood in front of them, grown and kept in a way that formed an arching doorway of sorts. They walked under it, the pink petals falling into their hair, and emerged on the other side, where Erza was awed by the beautifully grown selection of flowers. "I'd love to, Jellal. They're still all in beautiful conditions!"

He laughed freely, before pulling her against his front and hugging her close. Startled by the sudden intimacy, Erza reddened to the point where she was competing with her hair. Pressing his face into the red tresses, he closed his eyes for a moment and forgot about everything and anything that would've tried to pull him away from this moment. "Erza, I...thank you."

Erza vaguely remembered the fact that his mother had died, but she had never heard of the reason of the woman's death. Realizing Jellal was thanking her for being there for him and taking on the role only his mother had taken on, she tilted her lips upwards. Somewhere in the distance, she heard birds calling to one another, their conversations playing melodies through the air. "You're welcome, Jellal. It's an honour."

"Now, about this ball," he sat her down in-between the flowerbeds, seating himself beside her and resting against the trunk of the tree behind them. She brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, leaning into his side and looking up at him expectantly. Leaning over, he experimentally closed his lips over her's again, forgetting what he wanted to say for a moment. Erza responded, moving against his with fervor, and they stayed attached for a moment before pulling away, flushed. The sparks, he mused to himself, has still been there. So it wasn't just a one-time thing, then, was it?

"We'll invite Rosemary, Magnolia, and all neighboring kingdoms," he continued softly after a moment of breath. She nodded mutely, recognizing all the names he listed except for Rosemary; all she knew was it was a far-off kingdom that had declined any alliance treaties sent to them. She knew times were rough and kingdoms couldn't barge into war unprepared, but Rosemary held none of her love. Jellal blinked, as if remembering something, but before he could speak up, a maid came running up and through the archway, her hair a mess and eyes frantic. The lady's dress was wrinkled and bunched up at her heals, the cotton-material ripped in some places.

"Your Highness, Your Highness! Your sister and her husband are missing! Their are signs of struggle in their room and we don't know who or what-"

Jellal jumped to his feet, tea-green irises wild, and Erza shortly followed. Before they could run inside, though, the maid spoke up again, her voice breathless and fear pouring out of her in rivulets.

"Sir, sir the biggest issue is that...that...oh, sir, Princess Ultear is pregnant!"

* * *

**A/N: Draaaammaaaa in da castle! Anywaysss, I want you all to bear with the erratic behaviour of our favourite OTP because it will most definitely be explained with time c: But enjoy their first kiss! Leave a review as a birthday present with your thoughts and predictions (what did you guys honestly think of the first kiss was it lacking jdsfjkgjgkf)? tataaa~**


	8. Infiltration

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the kind birthday wishes! :D They made me even happier, aha. And to answer your reviews (for once pfffff);**

**Thunderfall: Mannn you know me Sibs (and you now know the plot of the rest of the story PFFF-)**

**vampiressXO: Thank you! :D**

**BlackCatNeko999: Aha, you probably won't, sadly XD Thank you for the birthday wishes!**

**CycloneUnlimited: Thank you! **

**ShadowCyclone: Thank you!**

**beatress: Thank youuu~**

**ScarletxBlue: Thank you x) I feel we're lacking in jerza lately pff. **

**penguin trainer: Thank you! XD And uh sorry about the length I guess, there was really no way of keeping it going without it turning into a dirty scene ; A ; You'll see how everything ties together in the end!**

**Kureru: THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME PFF. But, uh, I don't know ask the two dumb-butts who think they don't need the sleep. **

**FadingNoctis: Aha, thank you! **

**Nelsha: You'll have to keep reading to find out, won't cha? ;D**

**sarnast: Apologies for the wait between chapters, but school comes first ; A ;**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Infiltration**

**"It was then, though, as she tried to formulate another plan within her mind whilst crouching on the dirty floor, that the large tent caught on fire, exploding and sending raining velvet everywhere."**

* * *

Jellal was racing through the gardens, all thoughts of the ball and Erza gone. Well, the latter still lingered, for she was running behind him and keeping up with his fanatic pace, but nonetheless worry for his sister took precedence. Why hadn't she told him she was pregnant? Or had she only recently found out?

Erza ran behind her husband, her own thoughts scattered and hoping for the best. A strange sense of repetition settled upon her, memories of Juvia's own kidnapping flashing through her mind and the condition she had been in when she had finally found her. Now they found Ultear in the same situation, almost as if they were being mocked by someone. She couldn't even think of what Gray was going to say.

Throwing the door open, he let Erza enter before closing it quickly, grabbing her hand and dragging her in the direction of the infirmary. She allowed herself to be pulled across the corridor, instead concentrating on not tripping over the floor.

Soon, she found herself standing in the room in which her family slumbered, but now Jellal was waking them up. She waited along the side of the room, watching as Laxus sat up and stretched before registering the grim look on her face and stiffening in realization that something had happened whilst he was asleep. Natsu and Gray took longer in waking up fully, but Laxus was on his feet and moving quick.

"What's wrong?" He asked, giving both of them a look. The panic in Jellal's eyes and the worry in Erza's set him off, and he knew it had to be something serious for both of them to get so worked up about it.

Jellal, knowing pacing was going to tire him out, sat onto a nearby bed, anger running through his veins.

"Lyon and Ultear have been kidnapped, the latter currently pregnant."

The trio let out noises of disbelief, Gray being the worst; his face paler than a sheet, he fell onto the bed, shaking. First his wife, now his brother? What the hell was this?

"We need to-"

"We can't just run blindly into this, Jellal," Gray insisted, his voice depressive. He knew, from years of being on Magnolia's council, that running headfirst into the enemy's territory was as stupid as stealing Erza's favourite pastries. It was suicide, to be put simply.

Jellal slammed his fist down onto the table, angered beyond belief. Erza jumped, glancing over to find Jellal on his feet, his serene eyes livid. She tried to grab one of his hands to attempt to quell his rage, but to no avail; the man was out of her reach. Fists clenched, he stared hard at the Gray, who had also jumped to his feet in an attempt to go against Jellal's commanding posture. Of course, the magnolian family had been taught to keep their head high no matter what, but Gray knew going into it that this was a fight he had no hope of winning.

"You weren't singing the same tune when it was your wife that was missing, Fullbuster," the snarl was full of venom, and long gone was the calmness that Jellal seemed to possess under every circumstance. Granted he lost his coolness when dealing with his wife, but that was different. She kept him on his toes in a pleasing way, but this...this was just pushing his mind over the edge and into turmoil. He felt his sanity, consciousness, being pushed to a corner as he lost all sense of control. A part of him, a minuscule part, was reminding him that Gray was right, but he squashed the thought down.

Laxus, seeing the up and coming fight between the duo, stood up himself, hastily, and threw himself between the men just as they flew at each other, their bodies hitting his outstretched arms. Natsu and Erza, too, scrambled out of their seats; Natsu grappled Gray's arms and shouted at him angrily about his attitude and Erza pulled Jellal against her, gripping his face between her palms and trying to calm him down using the only way she knew how.

"Nobody said we weren't going to go for them, we just can't go in without a plan, Jellal, and you know that," she whispered softly, pressing her forehead against his and closing her eyes. She ignored the heat radiating off his skin and concentrated on his heartbeat, the erratic pulsing indicating just how furious the ultramarine was. His hands came up to grip her waist, pulling her even closer and burying his face into the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. She heard the door open and close as the trio left to try and calm Gray down, leaving her alone in the council room with her husband.

"Damn it, I lost control again, didn't I?" He asked her, his voice hoarse, as he brought his head up to lock eyes with her. Uncertain, she nodded, only to find his lips pressed against her's in an attempt to reassure himself. Letting him do as he pleased to calm himself down, Erza brought her hands up from his face to gently tug on his blue-toned tresses, indulging herself in a moment alone with the man who could confuse her senses with a single look, or a ghost of a mere touch. It was confusing, yes, but she wasn't going to complain. Never before had she ever felt this way towards another, and the new experiences were thrilling.

Pulling away for air, he smiled crookedly down at her before leading her outside to where her family was waiting, Gray now silent. Erza pulled away from him for a moment, moving to where her brother stood and whispering words in his ears. Jellal watched as the ice-mage nodded, his eyes making contact with his own tea-green. The man's posture was still stiff, but with each passing second to was becoming decreasingly relaxed.

"I...I'm sorry for being so insensitive," Gray began, his voice low. He had been told before by friends and family alike that his sense of emotional capacity was extremely low; it was a wonder how someone as expressive as his own wife, Juvia, could love such a quiet, blunt man like himself. Even he knew he was hard to put up with at times. "I guess with everything going on..."

"No need, I understand. Sorry for yelling at you," Jellal offered with a strained smile. Laxus, with his lips tilted upwards, stepped forward, arms crossed, and began speaking.

"Now, we need to discuss how we're going to get them back. This obviously calls for an infiltration mission-"

Natsu let out a whoop.

"-So, I've decided that while we deal with their forces, Jellal will lead his sister and Lyon back here immediately. We will create the opening, but before anything we will wait at separate ends of the camp to see who gets the opening to Lyon and Ultear first. The most logical camp to check is the one nearest to here, and it is the one I have set up coordinates for."

Natsu was grinning from ear to ear now. He had, at first, believed Erza moving away from home would lead to him never fighting at her side again, but it was quite the contrary. It seemed now they teamed up together more than ever, given the fact they both fought on separate ends of the battlefield when fighting back home. But now, he had even more chances of fighting beside his sister than ever before, and that cheered up the rosette.

Jellal was queasy with the idea of not being by Erza's side the whole time - yes, it had reached that point - but he now knew one of the safest places his wife could be was with her family. So, he opted to nodding in consent with the blonde's words. He would trust his wife, he decided, and see where that led to. It was time to stop doubting her.

With no more questions brought up, he watched Laxus use his amulet to open a portal, appreciating the efficiency the man seemed to possess. Time was of essence, he believed. He was also pretty damn grateful that they were already on the move, embarrassed by his act of violence and loss of control from earlier, in which he probably lost a lot of respect.

With one last look at each other, they nodded and stepped through the portal, before parting ways and using the forestry around them to their advantage. Erza slid through the trees with ease, but not before requipping into her Flight Armour, grateful for the speed it provided her with. The lack of armour to cover her skin, though, was a negative; nonetheless, it never had affected her before. Careful not to step on the various broken branches, she raced around the camp, heading to the farthest point available.

After a few minutes of full-on running, she reached the back entrance of the camp, and hoisted herself up and over the high-rise wall. It took her a few minutes to take it over, but she did. Leaning back and pressing herself against the wall, Erza kept her eyes trained on the humanoid demons patrolling just meters away from where she teetered on the rocky outcrop of a few of the uneven bricks, her body stiff as a board. Their glowing red eyes were stark against the inky blackness of their skin, which seemed to consist of some sort of slime dripping off their bodies as they trudges back and forth, no doubt serving the purposes of 'guards'. She had to snort quietly to herself at that; they weren't very good at their job, were they? She was certain she had made at least a few noticeable noises, a mistake or two, on her way up the wall, yet they weren't on the look out for anything.

She knew the others were stationed on various parts of the camp's grounds, waiting until they had an opening. Once said opening was found, they would have to create a distraction whilst someone found Ultear and Lyon. She could only pray that both were in stable enough conditions for travel, because they didn't have the time or means to deal with heavy injuries. Laxus had stated he'd cover the front entrance, similar to what she was doing. Natsu had taken the east, and Gray had taken the West. Jellal was on standby, simply making rounds around the camp itself and staying in the forest until one of them found an opening and the duo for him, in which he'd step in and take them home. Then, the magnolian group would take out as much as they could to help even the numbers for the overall group, and leave with another portal Laxus would have to step up due to the fact Jellal was to close his portal after he had gotten Lyon and Ultear to safety. It was a decent plan, really, one she approved of. Laxus' plans were always patched up in the sense that there were few to no flaws when conducted.

Quietly, she pulled a hunting dagger out of her holster, angling it and waiting for the right moment. Seeing her chance, she flicked her wrist and sent the deadly weapon flying, blade whirling mid-air, watching as it pierced through both demons' hearts before landing blade-first into the soft soil. Smirking, she pushed herself off the wall and landed near the bodies, grabbing her trusty blade before moving further into the campsite, taking in the brackets of blue flames lining each and every pathway. The hazy blue glow was ominous, shadows dancing everywhere as she methodically worked deeper and deeper into the internal section of her enemy's camp. Stealthy as a fox, Erza made sure to take out whatever she could, knowing it could possibly count in the long run. She worked from experience, after all.

After about twenty minutes of the gruesome movement, she found herself within the masses of the black sludge monsters, who moved here and there from the central area of the camp. The tents here were set up in a large circle, with spaces in-between some in the form of a pathway of sorts. Quickly realizing it wouldn't be smart to stay out in the open or start a commotion, she slipped behind one of the several crate lying around, pulling her legs up and placing her rapiers down so they wouldn't protrude from their normal spot on her hips, where her belt hung.

In the very centre of the circle was a tent much, much bigger than those surrounding it, as well as looking high-quality, unlike the brown burlap sacks that were obviously made into the form of a 'tent'. Right away, she could tell that the middle tent was where the generals, or whoever ran the camp closest to Sorciere, slept. That much was obvious. But there were too many tents to check to see where Ultear and Lyon were being kept. Not to mention there were too many demons walking about for her to do much.

It was then, though, as she tried to formulate another plan within her mind whilst crouching on the dirty floor, that the large tent caught on fire, exploding and sending raining velvet everywhere.

She rolled her eyes, knowing that it could have only been one person who was stupid enough to burn down the main tent. All around her, the sludge monsters were rallying, strange, foreign noises falling from the gaping holes that were considered their mouths. Realizing the situation was going to turn grim extremely fast, she dropped into a ready position, waiting for the moment in which she would have to make a move.

Natsu came hurtling down from somewhere metres away from behind where the tent once stood, teeth bared and fists raised with burning fires. Landing hard, he started his assault, waiting for everyone to make their move.

Soon, swords, ice and lighting joined in with his licks of fire, the enemy standing no chance against four of Magnolia's best. It was then that Laxus sent a single bolt of lightning up into the air; a flare signal for Jellal to start moving. A slight change in plans, Laxus mused to himself, but nonetheless nothing had gone wrong.

He could only hope it stayed that way.

* * *

Jellal, finally seeing the lone shock of yellow fly into the noon-time sky, started racing down towards the camp, mesmerized by the dancing flames, streaks of lightning and the obvious fragments of ice flying into the air. The mages were efficient, yes, but they were also graceful, even for men.

Shaking his head and realizing he had to get a move on, Jellal used one of his own spells, Meteor. Using the speed it gave him, he desperately went through every tent he could, searching high and low for his sister and brother-in-law. With no luck, he thundered down to the last section of the camp, ripping open tents and taking down whatever was in his way. At long last, in the very last tent, isolated in the corner, he found them, beat and tied to the supporting beams of the tent. Along with a small girl who was tied to the beam alongside Lyon.

At the sound of the tent flaps shifting, he watched mournfully as the trio flinched in fear before realizing it was him. His heart was wrung painfully at the sight of his sister's cheeks covered in grim and tears, along with all the rips in her dress and the ragged cuts littering her skin. Lyon was in a more severe condition, no doubt from protecting Ultear, and he knew he had to move fast to avoid any lasting physical affects.

Bending down, he quickly untied the rough ropes binding them to the poor quality wood, mindful of their wounds. Only when he moved away from the ropes did Lyon weakly grab his sleeve, catching his attention.

"Bring...the little girl," he huffed hoarsely. Nodding uncertainly, he untied the pink-haired child, taking in the severe scarring lacing the exposed skin. Just how long had she _been _here?

Lyon, realizing someone had to carry the little girl, struggled to his feet, waving off Jellal's concern. Taking the rosette from Jellal grasp gently, he held her close to his body. Jellal picked up Ultear, who was watching them all with tired, emotionless orbs, and together they exited the tent.

Not another word was exchanged.

* * *

Reaching backwards, Erza brought her sword arm hurtling out, slicing the demon across its chest and effectively ending its life. Gritting her teeth as the blackened blood splattered across her skin, she whirled around and let her eyes roam the field wildly for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Jellal still wasn't- no, wait. It was then she found Jellal leading a severely injured Lyon, a pink-haired, little girl, and a pale Ultear through the portal they'd set-up, his own magic taking down whatever was in their way. Who was the girl? Her eyebrows furrowed, but now wasn't the time to ask.

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, she relentlessly fought her way through the crowds of Ivan's army, making her way towards Natsu, Gray and Laxus, who were fighting in the middle of it all. Joining them and throwing them a quick nod of affirmation that the others had left, she fell into line with them and kept fighting, never losing her rhythm. Slash, slash, parry, dip, strike, back. Repeating the motion time and time again, she didn't give in to her exhaustion, even when Gray slammed into her back and almost sent her flying.

"Bleve!"

They hadn't even noticed their arrival, which was goddamn stupid if you asked her. It was also their biggest mistake of the day. But they only noticed the arrival of the camp's authoritative figures when Laxus was sent flying across the field. The other three whirled around, thrown off by the sudden surge of power closing in on them.

There, standing atop one of the hill-like pathways leading into the central area, were four men, all who were watching the battle. One, the man who had sent the blast towards Laxus, was standing a little ahead of the others with his arm raised and palm facing towards them, his dark-brown hair swaying in the breeze. She was then alerted to the small fireworks surrounding the area, looking suspicious, and called out a warning to the others, yet it was too late.

The small sparks exploded simultaneously, forcing them to dive towards the ground to avoid as much damage as possible. Her head slamming into the hardened soil, it was a moment before she could move again, albeit dazedly. She was vaguely aware of Gray and Natsu, too, back on their feet.

"Careful everyone!" Laxus roared, before spewing lightning at the group. The four on the hill charged forward.

It was the beginning of a long fight.

* * *

Jellal stumbled into the infirmary, a room he found himself spending what seemed like an eternity in nowadays, and lowered Ultear down into one of the beds. Lyon settled the little girl into one of them and collapsed into the other, his willpower gone. Rob came into the room, his team behind him, and started shouting orders right away.

"Who's the little girl?" Rob asked Jellal confusedly. The ultramarine shrugged in response, only eyeing the girl in question with more confusion.

Lyon, knowing Ultear was in no condition to retell their tale, and she probably would never be ready to share, struggled to sit up. His stomach muscles tightened in memory of everything they had been through in the short time; it was his fault, really, for was happened. He couldn't, and wouldn't, ever forgive himself for what Ultear had to go through. "She was capture and kept with the enemy for her magical powers, but Ultear was taken with her and wanted to bring her back."

All the sounds melded into one as Jellal used the amulet Laxus provided him with to open up a portal-like mirror again, much similar to the one Zeref had opened for them to watch Erza's fight. Apparently, it was a commonly used device that he just hadn't heard of. He snorted; he didn't mingle much with anyone, much less kept up with times.

Much to his horror, though, what met his eyes wasn't a relieving scene of the Magnolia troupes happily rejoicing after a victory, but one of Erza's bloodied figure charging forward behind Gray's own form, her swords drawn out and ready to strike. What was going on?

It was then he saw their opponent, or, opponents: two men both with, from what he could see, immense magical capabilities. The Generals had come back, then? He drew in a sharp breath, leaning forward and watching the fight with intent eyes.

He could only hope they would make it out alive. If anything, he'd just have to step in. A part of him bristled at the thought of Erza being injured, and he burned with teeming anger; she was already injured, but he prayed to god it wouldn't get any worse than what it already was. He didn't know what he would do if it did.

* * *

The four of them reassembled and standing together midst the bodies of the sludge-like army, their bodies were as stiff as boards as they watched the enemy slowly descend upon them, taking their dear sweet time. A hand clamped down on her shoulder, indicating Laxus was telling her to wait for his signal. Nodding slightly, she tightened her grasp on her rapiers and waited.

The brunette from earlier was ahead of his companions, and reached them about a minute before them. His towering form was equivalent to that of Laxus, both height-wise and dominance-wise. "I am Azuma, and I am here to deliver your doom. Is there an opponent strong enough for me?"

The four being addressed bristled in anticipation, glaring at the man, but before any of them could say something, the other Generals had caught up. Another with burgundy locks, and a scar covering his eye, smirked and stepped forward, coming to stand next to Azuma. "Your best bet for the strongest would be the prince, Azuma, rest all look like weaklings to me, and their- wait, I can't hear the thoughts of the pink man. What-"

"Cobra, I think we should start with our plans, yes? Master's orders were that these four must be dead before sundown," Azuma interrupted his companion. Really, he couldn't care less about Cobra's words; it was kill or be killed. In a world such as their's, failure was most definitely not an option. Not at all.

"Do you bastards really think you can win against us? Stop talk, let's fight!" Natsu growled, before leaping forwards. Erza fell into a defensive stance, waiting to see what would happen. Cobra had turned to speak to the duo behind them, no doubt reassuring them that they would be enough and that they should go tell the Master their mission was a success, before turning and meeting Natsu in midair with his own attack. Laxus, muttering something under his breath that sounded like 'another dragon slayer, damn...', joined the fray, yanking Natsu back and saving him from an attack.

Natsu threw himself up into the air, arching and preparing himself. This man was so cocky it was laughable; it was time to put them back in their place. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Soon, the whole plain was covered in dancing fires, the grass burning quickly under the touch of his element. He knew that Erza and Gray had also started their counterattack, conscious of the battle happening above them as well. It wasn't the first time they fought as a team, albeit their chances to do so were scarce, and so he knew that the other two knew of how to work around his destructive and reckless nature.

Cobra smirked as he dodged the attack, flipping and gripping the branches of a nearby tree. He was disturbed by the fact he couldn't hear the man's voice; there was only one other creature who could block him out, and said creature was missing. His eyes narrowed; no, not missing, but much worse. "Pathetic, that's not going to work against me. "Poison Dragon's Roar!"

He watched as the rosette's eyes widened in realization, before sending another roar to stop his own attack midway. The red poison met the vibrant flames, exploding in a shower of warmth and sizzles, to which neither men paid any heed. Natsu was somewhat aware of Laxus behind him, waiting until he was needed, but he hoped Laxus wouldn't have to do anything at all; he was itching for a good fight.

Cobra launched himself forward, using momentum to close in on his opponent who stood a little away from where he was, his arms coming up in a cross-like formation. "Poison Dragon's Twin Fangs!"

He watched as the attack soared towards his opponent, arching and dancing as it surrounded him before collapsing down on Natsu. Smirking, he thought the fight was over, somewhat disappointed that it was so short. He thought that Magnolia's infamous Salamander would last longer, but, alas; the man was down for the count before-

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

Cobra's eyes widened as the large explosion engulfed him, setting his skin ablaze and burning his clothes to a crisp. Snarling in pain, he fell to his knees, arms coming up to shield his face. He didn't think he would have to, but seems like Dragneel lived up to his name. "Dragon Force!"

Closing his eyes, he felt the skin of his arms morphing and felt his arms changing into the crimson dragon scales that they became under Dragon Force's influence, and his forearms changing into milky, smooth skin, fingers armed with claws.

It was time for his revenge.

* * *

Erza and Gray were watching Azuma, neither of them making a move. Behind them, the fight between the dragon slayers raged on, neither side letting up. Azuma, however, paid little to no attention to the poison-user as he kept his eyes trained on his own opponents. They were waiting for him to take the first move, he decided. Then, he would; raising his arms, he held them outwards. "Tower Burst!"

Erza's eyes widened and she cried out in surprise as they were enveloped in a burning inferno. Some part of her was screeching at her to be logical; so, she requipped into her Flame Empress Armour. Her body now covered with the resistant armour and hair up in pigtails, she felt the coolness of her magic spread across her skin in an attempt to quell the burn. The burn of the fire was dulled somewhat to the point where it was bearable, but at the same time she shook with suppressed pain, hoping not to appear weak.

Landing on the ground in a crouching position, she huffed for a moment, before pouncing towards her opponent. She was certain Gray was alright, for the man was smart enough to shield himself with his ice, but right now she didn't have time to check on her friend. She had more important matters at hand.

Discreetly, she activated Flame Slash, watching as her sword was engulfed in the warm shades of orange, yellow and red, before striking up at Azuma, who's height was greater than her's. The man grunted as the sword glanced off his arm, but he had been prepared. He knew the redhead was a offence type unless told otherwise, so he had simply waited for the right moment. Using the trees surrounding them, he pinned Erza down to the ground, effectively trapping her within the roots.

Erza, not having seen the move coming, gasped as she was clamped down against the seared ground, her head slamming painfully against one of the roots. She struggled for a moment, straining, but to no avail. She was trapped down hard.

Gray, realizing Erza was in a mess of roots and unable to move at all, dashed forward in hope of buying her some time to free herself, his ice coming out to freeze over the grass in an attempt to quell Azuma's abilities from rooting himself down. Azuma turned away from Erza to face him, a look of annoyance crossing his features at the thought of being interrupted before he could finish her off. Raising him palm, he cried out, "Bleve!"

"Ice-Make Block!" A large block of ice appeared in front of Gray, shielding him from both attacks; the first blast and the exploding sparks. Erza, in this time, had managed to saw away some of the roots holding her down and was able to pull away, requipping into her most simple armour of her hakama and her sarashi, before leaping towards Azuma again, anger leading her on as she thundered down the field at him. The duo engaged in a few minutes of furious hand-to-hand combat, as well as Erza using her sword and melding it effectively into her physical combating techniques, both keeping up with each other; they were on par, and that surprised Azuma.

"Humph," he growled as he fell back as Erza and Gray met up in the middle of the fielding. Glancing at each other, they were relieved to find minimal wounds, despite the fact Erza was covered in severe bruises from being squeezed down by the roots and Gray was covered in a few serious burns from Azuma's first attack. Other than that, though, they were remotely fine. Fine enough to keep fighting, at least. "You magnolians are stronger than what we were told of. I didn't think I would have to use my full power, but, alas, it seems like I must."

Gritting her teeth, Erza slid her feet apart, grounding herself for a moment. Before they could move, though, Azuma disappeared. Gray blinked, glancing around wildly but could only see, and this was just barely, Natsu and Laxus fighting Cobra several dozen meters away from where they were standing. Where had he gone? Erza then had a strange sense of foreboding wash over her and cried out, "Gray! Watch out!"

But it was too late. A large, green fist came flying out from behind him and sent Gray rocketing through the sky and slamming him into a tree. His body limp, he fell to the floor.

"Folium Sica!"

Erza gasped audibly and turned her attention away from her fallen friend, having to put all her concentration in evading the sudden, sharp leaves swirling around her before dipping towards her at a breakneck speed. Flipping her sword around in her hands repeatedly whilst bending her body in astounding ways, she averted the majority of the leaves, but a few had gotten past her defence and had left bloodied gashes everywhere. Panting softly, she eyed her surroundings to find nothing but darkness and towering trees. Trees...an element Azuma seemed to use with his magic.

It was then it hit her. Was Azuma in the trees?

Before she could somehow figure out how to test her theory, she was knocked sideways. "Ramus Sica!"

Closing her eyes and ignoring the throbbing pain in her abdomen, she ducked and scrambled off to the side, the sharpened branches just missing her head. Racing along the fringe of the forest, she whipped her head back and forth, trying to catch a glimpse of Azuma, yet he was nowhere to be found. How was she to fight this way?

Azuma watched from inside the tree as the girl limped her way around, smirking. It was time to end the fight, though it was fun whilst it lasted. Even he had to acknowledge their obvious strength, despite being the enemy. Both Dreyar and Faust had lied to their faces about the strength of the quartet, and that irked him. He would have to talk to them when he got back, then. Teach them not to lie to him.

Erza's eyes widened as she felt herself being chained down by the roots again. Crying out as her head slammed into the tree, she huffed, feeling the hot stickiness of her blood pouring out of a gash on the back of her head, clumping up in her fiery tresses. She strained in the roots' grasp yet again, already knowing it was of no use from what had happened before. Closing her eyes for a moment, she coughed hoarsely, her grip on her sarashi's hilt weak.

She couldn't give up, though. Her family needed her. They needed her help to win this war. She _wanted _to help them win this war.

Azuma emerged from within the tree, his smirk prominent. "It is time to end this fight, little girl. I admire your strength, but, alas, it wasn't strong enough. But you have forced me into using my strongest attack, which has never been the case before. So, I thank you for giving me a proper fight, but again, this is where you meet your end. Terra Clamare!"

He watched as Erza was engulfed in a massive, extremely destructive explosion, the girl's screaming barely a mere whisper compared to the roaring of the attack. This was her fate, he mused to himself, an irreversible one. She was to die here, fighting for her so-called friends; a pathetic way to go, in the place of others rather then for themselves.

Suddenly, though, someone emerged from the burning debris, sarashi raised in vengeance. Azuma's eyes widened dramatically, watching as Erza's sarashi came thundering down and sliced through his midsection. Feeling the metal tear through his insides before coming out, a clean cut, he coughed up bouts of blood.

He had been bested.

"I...give the win to you, Titania," he murmured. "Congrats."

He fell to the ground, unburdened and without a life.

Erza, heaving with pain, slid to the ground, her arms shaking as she attempted to support herself. That was one General down, three in this camp to go. Two if you counted Natsu's battle as a win already, which she most definitely did. She had complete and utter faith in her brotherly-figure, for he never lost when it mattered.

So, she struggled to her feet and started walking towards the charred remains of the camp, intent on finding the other two Generals.

* * *

Natsu had his teeth gritted and his fists raised, filled with fire. This fight had turned out to be more complex than he at first imagined; Cobra was a dragon slayer too.

Laxus was help, yes, but the burgundy-haired man was relentless. Almost as if...almost as if he harboured a dark hatred, resentment. Natsu was confused; Cobra, to him, seemed like a good man, so why was he fighting so hard against goodness? Why team up with men like Ivan?

"Cobra!" He called after another meet in midair. Their match was going nowhere, really, but Natsu was curious. He'd always had this natural curiosity, something that shocked his opponents. "Why are you fighting so hard against us? What has the world ever done to you?"

The poison-user paused, wondering if he should, and could, tell him. Then his friend's face came into his mind, and his hazy anger returned, curtaining his logic in a single go. "Years ago, I was a child slave. My life has always been rough, but I've always had a friend through it; my pet snake, Cubellios. Though recently, my friend went missing. I searched everywhere for my pet, but...I came to find out that your king had reversed the supposed spell on her and reverted her back into her human form. The consequences of her freedom, though, was forgetting all about her past...her life with me." Cobra chuckled bitterly to himself, remembering the day all too well.

_He was elated. He finally had a lead on Cubellios. A proper lead, too. One that led him to the famous kingdom of Magnolia. He knew it was in war with Ivan Dreyar's army, one in which he was asked to join. Of course, he declared that finding his childhood friend was more important then spilling blood. _

_Walking up onto the castle's grounds, he entered through the front, somewhat surprised by the lack of security. Well, he figured with a war over their heads, security was their last issue. At least, security of the castle wasn't at the top of their lists. _

_Walking towards what he thought was the throne room and disregarding all the panic-filled thoughts in his mind, he wandered down the well-furnished hallway, teeming with excitement. _

_It was then, though, he saw a small cluster of people, walking towards him. Realizing what this probably looked like to their eyes, a strange man walking in their castle without permission, he hid behind one of the large pillars, waiting to see what they were saying._

_"So, he found me as a large, purple snake?" One of them was saying softly. Cobra realized he couldn't hear her thoughts, much like those of Cubellios'. Leaning forward a bit, he took in her profile: silky, purple __tresses that reached mid-back in loose, princess-like curls, and a light-green gown that was short in the front and had a trail in the back. A woman with She was beautiful, he decided, simply because he reminded him so much of his lost friend._

_But did she just say she was found as a large snake? A large, purple snake?_

_"Yes," the bluenette beside her was saying. A bandana of sorts held her messy blue locks out of her face, the wild curls falling around her shoulders instead. "And...the side-effects of turning you back included amnesia."_

_Cobra felt all his air leave him. It was...Magnolia's fault his friend was gone? __And she didn't even remember him? Gritting his teeth and ignoring the burning sensation in his eyes, he waited for the duo to leave, not bothering with anything anymore, before stalking out of the castle, in the direction of where he knew Ivan Dreyar was._

_They would pay. They would pay in _blood_._

Natsu blinked a few times, the story turning a few gears in his mind. He had his moments, he guessed, when it came to connecting the dots. Though he did it slower than his friends, he could still do it himself. Nonetheless, Laxus had gone missing, so he was left to his own devices. "Do you mean...Kinana?"

Cobra paused, taking in the name. It was pleasant, he digressed, but it had nothing on 'Cubellios'. But of course, Cubellios wasn't exactly the name of a young woman, either. "Kinana...so that's her name," he said to himself softly. "Nonetheless, it won't help your situation here, Dragneel. You're a dead man, though it was amusing fighting you."

"But it's not like she's happy she lost her memory!" Natsu argued, relentless. Kinana was nakama to him and seeing her suffer was equivalent to seeing, for example, Levy suffering. Sure, they didn't grow up together, but that meant nothing to him; nakama was nakama. "I mean, she's pretty broken up by the fact she doesn't remember anything, or anyone! How about instead of being a coward, you visit her?"

Cobra bristled at the accusation, but he felt a part of him agree. Why didn't he just straighten things out with her? Why was he, dare he say it, scared of what would happen? He knew, though, deep down where his fear originated from; he was scared she wouldn't love him as she did in her snake-form, in which she had her memories. Who would love a monster?

Natsu, seeing the conflicting emotions on the man's face, pressed on. "I mean, might as well take a chance, right? There's no point in helping people like Ivan, Cobra! You'll end up killing her, you know that right?! Ivan wants everyone of Magnolia's royal council and the castle's people gone! And that includes your friend!"

That was the final straw. Mid-attack, Cobra paused, slowing to a walk. He froze up at the mention of his friend's life being in danger, unable to find it within himself to forgive what he had been doing. He had been helping a man who was hellbent on killing his only friend. "I..."

Natsu let out a friendly grin, glad that he hadn't had to kill him. Despite being at war, he hated taking people's lives. Monsters were okay, but people? He couldn't do it. "Hey man, you can come back with us!"

Just as Cobra smiled and was about to agree, Laxus came running back, panting. Reaching them, Natsu took in the look on his face. Laxus took a deep breath, trying to get air into his lungs, before speaking. "We're in deep shit."

* * *

**A/N: Wow, that's a longer chapter than usual, but nonetheless it's a thanks for being so great ; U ; Anyways, yeah, Natsu took on Erza's role from the filler arc in this chapter, so...thoughts? Gimme yo' love for a longer chapter 8D Whatcha guys think is gonna happen? Who do you think the other two Generals here with them are? WHATCHA THINK JELLY'S REACTION TO ERZA GETTING HER ASS KICKED MOMENTARILY WAS? Pfff I love BAMF Erza ; U ;**

**Just a quick side-note, but, all the attacks in this chapter (particularly Azuma's and Cobra's) are actual attacks. The chapter took so long 'cause I had to to do the research and whatnot, but, I hope it was worth it!**


	9. Dancing With the Devil

**A/N: Well, going into writing this chapter, I had no idea whatsoever of what I wanted to do LOL. So, uh, apologies if everything seems all over the place but, uh, yeah. :D On the other hand, I'm so so so happy that someone already is guessing correctly! (Someone in the reviews, and I won't say who, but congrats to you!). It means I'm doing something right, with all this poorly-built foreshadowing! **

**And in regards to the extremely late chapter, I am so so sorry! I got caught up in school with all these assignments and Jerza Week happened so I hope you can forgive me. Also, this is most likely the last update until the end of June (reasons as to why at the bottom A/N).**

**Dedicated to Siby for keeping me going; thanks, my twinsie. uw u**

**Warning/Heads Up; Just a reminder, please note that this fic IS rated T. There's nothing graphic, per say, in this chapter, but there is an assault scene. No worries, I'm too young myself to make it bad, but I hope it was semi-realistic; if you aren't comfortable with that sort of thing feel free to skip it! At the end of the chapter I'll give you a quick run through as to what the scene will represent.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Dancing With the Devil**

**"However just as she started struggling again, albeit weaker than earlier, he dragged her across the length of the room and throw her onto the bed with as much force as he could. He didn't think twice of it; this was her punishment for being defiant."**

* * *

Jellal, after seeing Erza being thrown around like a rag doll, had to be restrained. Even then, he fought like a caged animal, lifting himself on and off the chair and fighting against the many hands of his medical staff. He couldn't bear seeing her blood spill and shine against the grass like dewdrops, for it was too much. He found himself unable to control his emotions whenever she was in a tight bind, despite their short time together. Again, it should've confused him, but he brushed it off as affection and protectiveness over his wife.

Hearing her seemingly weak scream had been the breaking point, though; thrashing hard enough to throw off his bindings, he stood and opened up a portal fast, stepping through it and ignoring whatever his staff had to say. What met his eyes, however, had his heart jumping into his throat, for it meant no good.

Razed fields stretched far back, golden, evening light filtering through the few remaining trees. Fires still burned, however weak, across the plains, no doubt remainders from Azuma's earlier attacks. He stared at all the burned patches scattering the forest floor, memories of her broken scream echoing through his mind and bouncing off the walls of his sanity. Shaking his head roughly, he raced down the paths, desperately in search of her. The force of all the fighting had short-circuited the portal-like surveillance screen, and so he had no idea whatsoever of how her fight had turned out. He didn't know if she was _alive_. And that was probably the most scariest thing of the situation at hand, to him at least. Erza, already, meant so much to him. Later, he'd sit down and wonder why that was, considering the short amount of time they'd been together, but for now all that mattered was finding her.

Running down towards the middle of the campsite, he stumbled over the debris and stared hard at the scene before him with a mixture of relief and desperation; Erza stood there, bathed in what he presumed to be her own blood, facing off with a duo of men. He paused for only a second before jetting over to her side, surprising the trio with his appearance.

Erza had finally found the remaining Generals when Jellal had raced over, throwing her off guard. Immediately, without saying a word, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him, and Erza felt the shaking of his body. She immediately felt guilty for making him worry so much; having someone constantly worry about you and only you was a concept new to Erza, for she had never been the sole reason of someone's worry before. Of course, prior to the arranged marriage, her team had always worried their friends with their outlandish, reckless actions, but this was still a newer concept than she would've liked.

"As we were saying," the taller, tanned one continued in a pleasant voice, whilst clasping his fingers behind his back. His bleached hair was pulled back from his face, revealing the sharpened, chiselled features and aiding them rather than taking away. Strange markings covered his skin, reminding Jellal of ancient spells; ancient binding spells. "You are all to perish soon enough. Lord Faust will make sure of it."

Jellal's grip tightened at the mention of the accursed uncle that seemed to be brought up so often; he was knee-deep in this war. So Faust was a ringleader, of sorts, in this war. That just made it ten times worse; the man was diabolical, and Jellal was goddamn well-aware of what Faust was capable of, being on the receiving end one too many times.

"You!" Natsu's voice suddenly interrupted angrily, startling all of them. The royal duo turned and found the others running towards them, their bodies tense and ready to act. Erza was relieved to find Natsu wasn't as injured as he could be, in comparison to Gray who was battered and Laxus, who didn't have so much as a scratch on him. "Get over here so we can kick your ass!"

"Midnight, Brain," someone whom Jellal didn't recognize spoke up with a cold voice. Cobra knew of both Midnight and Zero's capabilities especially when their patience and anger were tested. They couldn't afford to make them that angry, considering both Titania's conditions as well as the ice mage's conditions. He himself was tired. "Don't be cowardly. I know what you are planning on doing and trust me, it's in your best interest to stay and fight."

Erza was confused as to why Cobra was walking alongside her friends, but she knew Natsu's ability to get through to people with his reason and his nakama speeches. She could only be amazed by how the rosette had gotten through to the bitter, bitter man, enough to make him join their forces; though, deep down, she knew he would be a great asset in the long-run. Another dragon-slayer among their armies would only prove helpful, but not only that, but the man was skilled with poison as well.

The shorter one chuckled, a dangerous sound, as the group of four made their way to where Erza and Jellal stood. Laxus was helping Gray walk, for the man's leg had been totalled during their fight with Azuma. Midnight's blackened lips stretched out in what was considered a smile, but in a deadly way. "I see you've defected, Cobra. Do not fret, we saw it coming. Alas, it is time for us to part, whether you approve or not. You are the dirt on our shoes, magnolians. Until we meet again."

They vanished in a cloud of blackish smoke.

The group stayed where they were, the silence stretching on for about a minute, before Laxus heaved a great sigh and caught their attention. Turning, they waited for him to speak, knowing the older man had something important to say. "We must go back and warn my grandfather about this development. And who exactly is Faust?"

Jellal's eyes narrowed in memory, and Erza slid her hand into his and let him grip her digits for strength. Grateful, Jellal squeezed the long fingers with his own, intertwining them with his own and enjoying the warmth she provided him with. "He is my uncle. You should feel threaten, for the amount of damage he can do sees no end."

The burgundy-haired man nodded in agreement. Cobra had never met the leader-like General before, but from what he gathered from the people around him, the man was one you didn't want to cross. Not if you valued your life in any way whatsoever. "Yeah, I agree with him. Faust is one mean, mean guy."

Laxus nodded, closing his eyes. "We'll have to go back to Magnolia. Today," he glanced at Erza, his eyes softening. "You okay with that?"

Said redhead nodded, glad Laxus considered her; however, she knew they had to go back to Magnolia and warn the others before something else big happened. She was worried someone else, either Lucy or Levy, was going to get kidnapped. She knew Mira could hold her own, though, having grown up as the white-haired queen's best friend and her only rival. "I'll be fine, go warn Makarov and check on the others."

Gray coughed, speaking up with a hoarse voice. His head hurt, and he felt immensely guilty for letting himself be knocked out by Azuma before the fight ended and forcing Erza to clean up the mess the fight had become. Taking in all the blood and cuts littering her skin, he averted his eyes. "I need to grab Juvia first. Are we portallizing?"

Laxus quick him a quick movement of his head in confirmation, letting the ebony-haired man attempt to stand on his own. Erza, Natsu, Cobra and Jellal all steeled themselves, feeling the familiar pull of the portalization system through their bodies. They all landed in Sorciere's castle, but after a quick chat between Gray and Laxus, the magnolians and Cobra all departed again, save for Gray, who headed towards the infirmary. Erza and Jellal stayed still for a moment, before Rob came up to them.

"My Queen, you are in dire need of medical attention," he spoke, concerned. The woman was in worse condition than the day before, but she was paying no heed to her injuries. "Come, let us find an empty chamber. I do not feel like interrupting the other pair."

Wordlessly, they followed behind the old man.

* * *

Cobra had a pretty rough evening, following his arrival in Magnolia.

True to their reputation, no one in the castle held his past actions against him, and he found himself being welcomed with open arms. Laxus and Natsu had decided it would be best if they introduced him to the king first and explained his situation, and he hesitantly agreed. They had led him into the throne room, Natsu babbling the whole way, where the old king of Magnolia had grinned at him and welcomed him as a magnolian citizen. He then proceeded to calling over a white-haired woman, who Laxus happily embraced with a look of relief, and asked her to go find Kinana. _Cubellios. _

Laxus' wife, who'd happily introduced herself as Mira, told him with a smile that she, Kinana, was in her chambers and he was free to head up. With sweaty palms, he thanked her and walked through the darkening halls, clueless as to what he was going to tell her. He was her previous master? They had been best friends?

He shook his head in aspiration. He was being pathetic; all he had to do was tell her of her past, wait for her to ingest it, and then walk away. And most likely never speak to her again. Why was that so hard?

_Leaning forward a bit, he took in her profile: silky, purple __tresses that reached mid-back in loose, princess-like curls, and a light-green gown that was short in the front and had a trail in the back. A woman with She was beautiful, he decided, simply because he reminded him so much of his lost friend._

Oh, yes, she was a beautiful, young woman now. One that probably had many suitors. That thought didn't sit all too well with him, either. Why was it all he wanted to do was mark her as his own? Why did he feel so...possessive of his friend?

Maybe it was the fact that she had always been his only companion, and he her's. And now there was the possibility of her finding someone else to confide in, while he still had no one.

_Cobra bristled at the accusation, but he felt a part of him agree. Why didn't he just straighten things out with her? Why was he, dare he say it, scared of what would happen? He knew, though, deep down where his fear originated from; he was scared she wouldn't love him as she did in her snake-form, in which she had her memories. Who would love a monster?_

Or maybe it was the fear of rejection. He was a true animal, and only another animal could've possibly understood him. But now said animal was a beautiful woman, with friends to support her; who was he in her life?

Sighing in frustration, he took in the fact that he was in the corridor Mira had described, with the door he was looking for in front of him. He stared at it for a moment, breathing in her familiar scent now mixed with the scent of a female human, before taking a deep breath and knocking, throwing caution out the window.

Kinana jumped, startled, by the sudden knock at the door. Mira had come up a few minutes ago and told her she had a visitor who had known her in the past and that she was going to send him up, and Kinana hadn't been able to sit still since. To say she was excited to meet his mysterious man from her past was an understatement. Who was he to her? Her brother or father, or maybe a relative of sorts? An old rival she had upset? A lover, who missed her dearly? "Come in!"

Cobra opened the door, walking in and closing it behind him all the while staring at the one before him who haunted his sleep. She blinked at him, staring equally amazed, before her face morphed into a huge smile. "Hello!"

He blinked, having not been expecting such happiness. "Hi."

Kinana tossed down her hairbrush and turned fully towards him, her violet locks flying around her head as she moved over to him. She didn't mind that she was in nothing more than her black, lacy nightgown that barely reached her butt; if he was someone from the past, he wouldn't hurt her. And she could see the tenderness hidden in his eyes.

She was _positive _he would hurt her.

Cobra watched her bound over to where he was standing, using all his willpower not to openly stare at her revealed parts. She was just too innocent for a man like him; her young innocence had always been a part of her personality. He was used to it by now, to be honest, but it was still an issue to avert his eyes.

"So," she prompted when she was closer to him. A smile still lit up her face, one she couldn't find herself to end. She finally had someone to tell her about her past, someone who knew who she had been before the spell had been reverted. Was he the one who had cast it, maybe? A witness who'd seen the process? The possibilities were endless. "You know about my past?"

He chose his words carefully. She still could get upset with him, no matter what he was to say. Her happiness could, quite possibly, be extremely short-lived. "I know all about your past."

"That means we were really close, right?"

A sad, bitter smile graced his lips, surprising the girl. His face seemed so much softer when he was smiling. She took a moment to wonder why he didn't smile regularly, like herself. What had been her connection to the sad man? Cobra spoke up again. "We were the closest."

She blinked, his words processing. The closest a man and a woman could be? "L-Lovers?"

An eyebrow rose in amusement, masking his pain at the question. "I loved you as a friend; have you forgotten you were a snake, young one?"

She flushed. How could she have forgotten? Everyone had told her she was found as a snake. "Oh...right. So we were friends?"

"_Best _friends," Cobra put emphasis on the word 'best', desperately trying to tell her how much she meant to him. He wasn't sure if it was working or not.

She offered him an apologetic smile, again shocking him. "I'm sorry, you must've been lonely."

He finally couldn't take it anymore, her kindness being too much for the man to handle. Surging forward, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around his petite waist and holding her close, burying his face into the soft flesh of the area where her neck and shoulder met. Shaking, he let out a soft shudder and breathed in her scent, hyper-aware of her arms shakily wrapping themselves around his neck. "You...you have no idea my dear."

Kinana rose a shaking hand and smoothed out his spiky tresses, pressing his head into his shoulder. "Are you sure we weren't lovers...? Forgive me, I haven't caught your name yet."

"Cobra, but to you it is Erik. And you were a snake, one that went by the name Cubellios; I loved you dearly, but it was not in the way lovers would have loved each other."

For some reason, she felt a bout of disappoint rock through her. "Are you saying it would be impossible to love me?"

He lifted his head up, the gears in his mind churning. Was she...upset? "It is impossible for me to stop loving you."

"Not in the sense of friends, Erik," she found herself whispering. Mavis, what was she saying? She had just met the man, but she felt an incredibly forceful pull towards him, and it was scaring her. She wanted more than friendship.

Lifting his head off her shoulder, he stared down into her eyes, losing himself in their depths. Slowly but surely, their heads moved towards each other, eyes never losing contact, before their lips met.

It was then her memories returned. Every night spent with Cobra, curled up at his side, every fight she helped him through, every man she hurt to keep him safe. Gasping, she pulled away and gazed up at him, fingers coming up to touch her tingling lips. Cobra fell back a bit, startled by her sudden breakaway, and stared at the girl, registering the wonderment on her face.

"I remember," she whispered. His eyes widened, realizing what she meant. Their kiss had jogged her memory? "I-I remember _everything_. My dear Erik..."

"Cubellios," he whispered softly, cupping her cheek. She got onto her toes, kissing him again with a sense of longing. He responded to her touches, groaning as her hands lit fires across his skin.

"Erik, make me your's night, you've kept away for long enough and we've been blessed with this opportunity, for I am human," she whispered without thought, but no part of her regretted it. He searched her face for any sign of hesitation and found none; so, he growled with passion and led her to bed, dropping their bodies onto the silk sheets.

He was glad to find that she was still only his, and he was still only her's. And it would be that way for the rest of their lives.

* * *

Erza, now all bandaged up by Doctor Rob, smiled at the elderly man and gave him a word of thanks before getting up off the spare bed. Jellal, who'd been instructed to wait outside the unused chambers prior, rushed in as soon as Rob left, his eyes roaming her form and taking in the vast amount of bandages covering her body. Feeling his frustration boiling to a higher point than before, he strode over and cupped her head with a hand, surprising her when his hand clamped down on the blood-red tresses for a grip. Without letting her speak, he bent forward and kissed her tenderly, his own eyes screwed shut. For what seemed like a passing moment when in reality it was more, they stayed connected, before the need of air arose. Pulling away, Jellal studied Erza's sculpted features, taking in the swollen lips and the affectionate look in her amber irises. And so he spoke. "I almost lost you today. I thought I did."

Erza offered him a shaky smile, not knowing of the turmoil within his heart. "But you didn't. I'm still here, aren't I?"

Jellal's eyes turned incredulous, in the sense of his anger making an appearance. The wind picked up, rustling the drapes through the opened window and causing the only sounds in the room for they were staring at each other, silent. "Do you not understand, Erza? You were pretty damn close to dying today!"

She frowned. His words stung, and her pride had taken quite a blow; did he think she was not capable of defending herself in times of need? Clearly she was, considering their situation and the fact she had been a front-runner in the war before this marriage; no, she still was. This marriage wasn't going to stop her from helping her family in their time of need, no matter how much that worried and bothered him. "Jellal, I've done this several times before."

He glared down at her, his mind in ruins. Could she not see the dangers this war presented? Not only was Zeref behind it all, but Faust, of all people, was helping; this had gotten out of hand, and Jellal wasn't planning on losing his new wife to his uncle. Most definitely not his uncle, for he had taken away too much already. "No, this is unacceptable. You are a queen now, Erza, and you behave as so. The contract states you must listen to my words, and you haven't done that at all yet. Quite frankly, I'm fed up with you. You will not assist in this war anymore, and will rather work out the kinks of your leadership in time for the ball. The war will be left in Magnolia's hands, as well as mine for I must assist them with my militia. And you will do as I say with no questions asked."

Erza was indignant, furious. "What makes you think you have the right to possess me and boss me around like I was your mindless minion, Jellal? I am your wife, not your sub-coordinate!"

He couldn't take it anymore; her angry face stared up at him dauntingly and her hair was a mess. The newly-wrapped bandages were already turning a soft pink, but he paid no heed to her injuries as he pushed her into the wall. She let out a soft gasp of surprise, but he was beyond reason at this point. She was _his _to dominate, and _his _alone. Her hands came up in a weak attempt to push him away but Jellal found himself slowly drowning into an inky-black sleep, with no control over his actions.

Erza watched, unsure and a little apprehensive as to the fleeting emotions on Jellal's face. It was like that time in the clearing after Faust had left them; his eyes slowly became colder, rock-hard shards of jade, before a smirk of malice took the place of his previous frown. His hands came to clamp down her wrists hard against the wall over her head, effectively trapping her against the wall. Hissing as a sharpshooting pain echoed through her body, she glared up at Jellal. "Let me go!"

His head dipped forward with nothing more than a dark chuckle as an answer to her plea, and she had no time to react as his lips slammed against her's. She struggled against his iron-grip, but with the level of her injuries and his strength there was no use. She stood still, awaiting his consciousnesses' reappearance, but it never came; Jellal just kept her caged against the wall. His teeth came out to bit harshly on the plump flesh of her bottom lip, drawing blood. Only when her lack of air started bone-rattling tremors through her body did he pull away, smirking in glee at the blood smearing her pink-hued lips and the desperation in her amber eyes. She brought her right leg up, which was in better condition than her left, and tried to kick his shin; she just had to disable him long enough to get into the hallway and call for help. However just as she started struggling again, albeit weaker than earlier, did he drag her across the length of the room and throw her onto the bed with as much force as he could. He didn't think twice of it; this was her punishment for being defiant.

Erza cried out as she hit the soft sheets, the pain burning her to the core and emitting throughout her entire body. She could feel some of her wounds reopening due to the force, the itching sting only adding to her growing dismay. How was she to stop Jellal when she could barely move? Tears burned her eyes as she watched Jellal approach her slowly, like a predator inspecting its prey. She tried to move away from him, but he suddenly pounced and grabbed her by the ankle. She let loose another plea as he pulled her towards his towering form, the silken sheets she tried to grab slipping out of her hold like oil.

He reached for the strings holding up her gown and yanked, successfully ripping them. Erza gasped as Jellal proceeded to tearing the dress down the centre, revealing her undergarments to him. She finally accepted what she had known all along; Jellal was planning on raping her. She started struggling feverishly as the tears finally started their descent, whilst Jellal clamped her wrists up above her head with one hand while unbuttoning his shirt with the other. Tossing the offending material somewhere over his shoulder and ignoring the yelling of his consciousness for him to stop, he stared down the writhing woman below him.

Her porcelain skin was covered up by the gauze and bandages, mostly around her stomach, arms and legs. As she struggled beneath him, her scarlet tresses fanned out against the pillow, enticing him. Her pendant, the multicoloured heart that meant so much to her, seemed to glow from its spot between her full assets. He wanted to stake his claim, and he wanted to do so now.

Suddenly, just as he moved to rip off her bra, the door was thrown open, revealing a furious Gray and worried Juvia. The ebony-haired man strode through the room with his wife following him as quickly as she could and tore Jellal's form off of his sister, snarling. Juvia scuttled over to the shaking Erza, taking off her shawl and wrapping it around the redhead protectively. She considered the redhead a sister much like the others and seeing her so scared was a new thing that the water mage had never seen before. Gray, on the other side of the screaming, was teeming with anger. "_What do you think you're doing, Fernandes_?"

Jellal, the sudden dislodging startling him, blinked a few times, before baring his teeth at Gray. Ripping himself out of his grasp, he fell back and placed both arms on top of each other with the top hand having only the index and middle fingers spread out. Seven magic seals summoned themselves in front of him and connected together in what looked like a constellation. Each magic seal released a powerful light blast down on Gray, forming the same pattern on the ground before exploding.

Erza and Juvia both cried out in unison, their voices unheard over the raining destruction. "Gray!"

Midst the raining destruction and chaos, Jellal found himself blacking out.

* * *

**A/N: Cobra and Kinana I can't with those two they're like another Jerza on a smaller scale goshies. I don't know if it was too cheesy or not, or OOC, considering we don't know too much about these two and Cobra softens up a lot with Kinana so pardon my errors if you think I got them wrong? And apologies if you were hoping for a bigger reason for Kinana's memory loss, that was a canon bit. That and they'r enot the main focus of the story, but I wanted to give those two a moment anyways; they're deprived in the manga and anime.**

**Okay! So, this is the last update because my exams start in a bit and the teachers are going all-out at us. I know this update in itself was already late as it is, but bear with me for when summer starts the updates will hopefully level out again! Leaving a review as encouragement is nice though uw u.**

**In regards to the importance of the assault scene, it's basically our transition into a more canon-like Jellal. I don't really want to spoil anything, but take what you will! The most I'll say is this correlates with...um...his past behaviours? Good enough. You'll see what is to come when it comes! And if you're Siby you'll know early buwhahaah she's my partner in crime and approves of everything for me :D.**

**So, on that note, we'll see each other in about a month (HOPEFULLY sooner, I'll try my best); leave a review with your thoughts, opinions, predictions (again congrazzles to the one who guessed right), and encouragement for next chapter/exams/life? uw u**


	10. Night of the Ball

**A/N: I'm alive! Hello dear readers, and I hope you're all still here, 'cause I feel like I'm losing you all ; A ; But aha! I'm earlier than what I said, which a feat in itself ;D**

**Anyways, this chapter makes it a bit more clear what exactly I wanted to do with the assault scene, and I hope you enjoy because HOPEFULLY, from now, we're back on track with possible updates biweekly! I also apologize for the slightly longer wait, but this chapter took quiet some time to piece together to be honest. There was a lot of transitioning I had to do, but nonetheless I hope you enjoy ; U ;**

******I guess you can say this is the parallel to chapter 264? Just parallel up until the end of the scene, aha; you'll see what I mean when you get there (:**

**********Dedication to my dearest Nori, because it's her birthday and tanked the majority of this chapter to make sure I could get it up for her today! :D Happy birthday Nori, hope you have a great one~!**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Night of the Ball **

**"With an apologetic smile for his past actions, he bent down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Without hesitance, she responded, head coming forward to push him back with a sense of resistance. Without a second thought, her hands came up to lock themselves in his hair, bringing his body closer to her own. With a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl, Jellal pushed himself against her, hands roaming and feeling her shapely curves."**

* * *

The two girls watched, horrified, as the destruction kept running down. Juvia's grip on her shoulders was the only thing keeping Erza from getting up and racing over to where the dust was just starting to settle. They held their breathes in unison as it settled down enough for them to get a glimpse of what had happened.

Gray was standing behind a shield of ice, crystalline shards flying everywhere. His eyes were narrowed in anger, but foremost was his confusion; Jellal was passed out on the floor, his face showing no remote evidence of the animosity that had once graced his features. _What the hell_?

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried out in relief, letting out of Erza and carefully making her way over to where her lord stood, stiff. Upon hearing his wife's call, however, he turned and gave her a small smile, more a smirk, of reassurance. Erza let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in, only to see her own husband's fallen form. Despite her freshly bloodied, revealed form, she struggled to her feet and limped over to where he lay. Gray stopped her on the way there, however, to quietly drape his cloak around her shoulders. She offered both Juvia and him a crooked smile of thanks, gratefulness, before speaking. "I...thank you, both of you. I know you were to leave earlier, so feel free to leave now if you want. I should be fine now."

But Gray was having none of it. Crossing his arms, he sent Erza a stern glare. Seeing her look so..._defeated_...was a new experience and he didn't find himself enjoying the look. Even when she had lost matches to him, Laxus and Natsu during their spars, which was rarely, she had never looked their crestfallen. There was a certain hollowed look in her normally vibrant, amber eyes that sent chills down his back. "Has this happened before, Erza?"

She couldn't look him in the eye. Instead, she stared hard at the bed, memories of the night with Faust flashing through her mind. "It's not his fault, Gray."

Her longtime friend scrutinized her face, looking for any sign of deceit and finding none. Instead, he found a face of a woman worried about her husband's condition. So, he nodded and backed down, lacing fingers with Juvia and walking out of the room with no further questions asked. Erza, sighing through her nose, walked the last meter or so over to Jellal's fallen form. She could hear the other castle inhabitants running towards the room, no doubt worried after the noise they had heard. Kneeling and sending the cloak fluttering around her form, she softly stroked his cheek, worry filling her irises. As the medical team entered, she placed a soft kiss against his lips before pulling away and watching them take him away, not knowing that this was the turning point in their relationship.

It was a breaking point.

* * *

The trio stared each other down; to be frank, the tension in the air was so thick you could slice through it with a knife. Zeref stared, his reddened eyes filled with contempt, at the duo in front of him, who were completely oblivious to his own disdain. Did these fools actually believe they played a hand in the matters of the war? Cunning as always, Zeref smirked and stepped forward, the candles bathing him in a sickly light.

"Ivan, Faust," he began coolly, gaining the attention of the duo. The men stopped their own glaring contest to give their 'partner' a look; unknown to them, Zeref thought of them as nothing more than worthless pawns he was exploiting for his own use. "I believe it is time for the next phase of our plan, yes?"

Both of them nodded slowly, eyes roaming Zeref's face for any form of emotion; however, he gave them nothing more then a smirk. He knew what game they were trying to play, but this was a game he was a master at. Turning away and walking down the winding pathway, he threw his last words over his shoulder.

"Leave these fools alone for a few months. Then, we will strike, when their shields and defences are down. I command you to commit to no sort of attack during this time, or you will face my wrath."

* * *

Erza pushed her hair out of her face, falling out of her crouching position to sit in the grass. Huffing with an air of gratefulness, for her tedious task was done, she surveyed her work. The roses, magnolias and daisies were all blooming at a surprising rate, and now their growth wasn't being slowed down by weeds, for she had just pulled them out.

Gardening had been her safe haven for the last two months. She let out a bitter chuckle; the flowers were the only ones who would actually pay attention to her nowadays. Jellal, since the incident two months ago, had refused to talk to her, much less interact with her the way they had for a short period of time. She had not seen him during the day, and he never came into their room at night. While she was relieved the man was alive and well, she was upset with how things turned out. Sure, in the spur of the moment, she had been downright terrified, but now? Now all she wanted was for them to make amends and go back to what they were. Recalling past memories also, suddenly, had a strange affect. For some reason, the thought of him ignoring her sent a burning pain through her body, one she couldn't explain. Shortly following the pains were always headaches, severe and fierce in their attack. And there was no one here, really, she could confide in.

Ultear and Lyon tried to engage her in conversations on an erratic basis, but they too had their own duties to tend to. She was no newcomer to the game that was politics, but she wasn't familiar enough with Sorciere's system to be anything more than a liability. Which irked her, because Erza Scarlet was most definitely not a liability. Even as a child, she possessed tremendous bouts of strength and willpower. With a lopsided smile, she recalled her memory of when she held a sword for the first time...

_"Erza, let's play knights!" Natsu crowed, his fists drowned in flames. The redhead turned, pushing her reddened, short locks out of her face and offering her best friend a stern look. Gray and Laxus were around them too, play-fighting in the dirt. _

_"That's not a good idea, Natsu, I-"_

_"Don't be a spoilsport! C'mon Erza, please? I even found some wooden swords for us to play with!" Natsu begged, holding up the false weapons for good measure. The girl's amber irises widened a fraction, indicating her interest. Brushing off her hands, she stood, walking over to the rosette and taking one of the wooden swords into her hands. It was an exact replica of the standard swords used by the S-Class Knights, something Erza one day hoped to be herself. With a smirk of happiness, she gripped the sword for a moment before loosening the grip and flipping the sword around. Laxus, from his place on the ground, watched with surprise at the ease Erza could control the sword with. The older knights weren't even able to handle the swords the way Erza seemingly could._

_"Well, Erza dear, seems like even as a child you hold an amazing ability with swords," Makarov spoke, impressed. All the heads whipped in the direction of their king, hasty bows preceding. Erza's eyes shone with a radiance second to no other; it was a praise she held close to her heart from that day on forward._

With a sigh of nostalgia, she fell back against the trunk of a tree and gazed up at the sky, even more memories of her childhood flashing through her mind. It was worrisome, however, how she couldn't remember a lot of it. Not so much that she'd forgotten, but whenever she'd try to remember events from certain ages, it was like there was an inky-black barricade preventing her from doing so.

Realizing it was getting late, Erza stood and started walking back to the castle, dreading the nightfall. Why? Because today was her coronation ball, and that meant she would see Jellal again tonight.

And that was the _one_ thing that no matter what the great warrior Erza could not prepare herself for.

* * *

The castle's staff had been busy for quite a while, bustling and preparing for their Queen's coronation. Erza supposed this is what Jellal had used as an excuse not to talk to her. The whole ordeal was one she would've skipped out on if she could, but nonetheless she was happy to get the chance to see her family after such a long time.

"Erza, you look stunning," Ultear breathed. The dark-haired woman herself was dressed in a deep-purple gown that hugged her form before flaring out at her feet. Her ears were adorned with strings of diamonds, whilst pearls hung around her neck. The dark colours of her makeup and dress all added appeal and complimented her fair complexion nicely, Erza mused. Even when pregnant, Ultear shone.

Turning to face her reflection in the mirror, she gave herself a once-over. She wore a midnight blue gown, the V-cut revealing enough to keep eyes on her no matter what. The dress opened up and fell to the asides as curtains would, leaving room for her legs with a train in the back trailing behind her. Turning over a bit more, she felt a breeze on her back; the dress was backless, black lace edging the various ends. Scattered, golden sparkles finished the dress, and Ultear had paired it with earrings shaped like stars falling off of golden strings and an intricate, ruffled choker around her neck. Of course, Erza's heart-shaped pendant was still there, of course, for it was the one thing she refused to take off.

Not only that, but it seemed Ultear wanted to go all out. She had meticulously curled Erza's reddened tresses, pinning half of it up and carefully placing fake flowers in the same shades of blue and gold as the dress and jewellery were. Her makeup had been kept to a minimum, but only because Erza swore she'd rip off Ultear's head if she caked her face up.

"Thanks for all your hard work, Ultear," Erza finally spoke up, her voice devoid of anything but gratefulness. Turning, she offered the older woman a sight smile. It gesture was returned, before Ultear tilted her head and nodded at the door. Pulling on the blue heels that matched her dress, she followed her out the door and the duo walked through the hallway, silence filling the void.

"So, I'll just give you a quick rundown on what's going to happen," Ultear offered. Erza eyed her, the familiar feeling of nervousness filling her stomach. "Basically, I'm leading you to Jellal now. From there, he'll guide you in when you're both announced and he'll give a speech and whatnot, before crowning you with your custom-made crown. Then, you're free to go spend time with your family. Not much to it, really. Maybe you'll have to give a speech, or just a word of greeting; no matter, you'll do fine, I'm sure of it. Oh, look! Here we are, I see Jellal. Go over, Erza, I need to go into the banquet room."

Her breath got stuck in her throat but before she could beg Ultear to stay with her, the woman was gone. Did she know about the tension between the newlyweds? Probably. Sighing through her nose, Erza turned and almost cried in panic at the sight of her husband, half-hidden in the shadows and staring right at her. He wore a matching outfit of blue hues, a sword with an intricate hilt hanging at his side. His hair was as messy as it had been the day she had met him, and she found herself wishing to run her hands through it once again. However, she refrained, no matter how hard she found the task.

Jellal, on his part, didn't know what to say. He knew that Erza was aware of his attempts at avoiding her and he _knew_ that he was hurting her, but he would hurt her even more by staying near her. So, for the past while, he had taken every chance he could to stay away from her. Mostly he just planned the coronation ball, but nonetheless he couldn't avoid her anymore. She stood so close, bathed in filtered moonlight. It took his breath away, how beautiful she was; a royal blue dress hugged her form, her hair curled and done up. Despite the fact he considered himself a gentleman compared to many, he was having a hard time keeping his eyes off her chest; where did she think she was going, in a dress cut that low? Men were like ravenous men, and right now Erza looked like the perfect piece of meat to toss to them. A fire lit itself in his chest, but he stomped it out. No, he wouldn't lose control; not tonight.

Erza watched, quiet, as his eyes roamed over her body before they sizzled with an indescribable fire. Pushing himself off the wall, he walked towards her slowly, tea-green holding liquid-gold. He stopped about a step away from her, causing her to tilt her head slightly upwards to hold his gaze. A hand came down to caress her cheek and against her will, she leaned into the warmth, closing her eyes.

She was only vaguely aware of his other hand coming up to hold her hip, pulling her closer to his burning body.

"Jellal..." there was so much she could say, _wanted _to say, but nothing came out. She reopened her eyes, finding him closer than she could take. Without answering her silent plea of an answer, he softly began to back her up, until they were against a wall. She felt all her senses shut down and all the logic fly out the window as she waited with baited breath for his next action. His hands moved away and she felt herself yearning for his warmth.

Jellal was on autopilot, and he couldn't stop himself. Moving his hands away from her and fighting the urge to smile when he saw her distress at the loss, he put them beside her against the wall, caging her against it. "Erza, I have to apologize...what I did that night was inexcusable and I'll understand if you don't want anything to do with me-"

"Idiot!" She scolded immediately, eyes flashing open as she gave him a small glare. He was taken aback by the anger swirling in her abyssal irises and fell silent, awaiting her explanation. And it came. "I...don't blame you, Jellal. I know it wasn't your fault and that you have no control over it. I just wish you had let me tell you this two months ago...I missed you."

Those words were all he needed to hear. With an apologetic smile for his past actions, he bent down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Without hesitance, she responded, head coming forward to push him back with a sense of resistance. Without a second thought, her hands came up to lock themselves in his hair, bringing his body closer to her own. With a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl, Jellal pushed himself against her, hands roaming and feeling her shapely curves. The moonlight shone through, illuminating their forms and somewhere in the distance they heard the party-goers chattering loudly, but they paid no heed.

Erza gasped as she felt Jellal softly bit down on her bottom lip, before pushing his tongue into her mouth. The duo fought for dominance, only pulling away when their lungs begged for air. Panting, she clung to his cloak that matched the colour of her dress, limbs shaking as she gathered her bearings. With a soft smile, Jellal wrapped an arm around her, before placing a kiss atop her head. Thankfully, their clothes and Erza's makeup had not been ruined. "Come, it's about time to step into the room. Are you ready?"

Erza snorted, offering Jellal an incredulous look, an inkling of her normal attitude sparkling through. "Hell no."

* * *

The members of Magnolia's council milled around near the staircase where Erza and Jellal would descend from, anxious to see their friend again. They all wore something that was the same shade as their kingdom's infamous insignia; fiery red. The royal couple were supposed to make their entrance about ten minutes ago, but they were nowhere to be found. Eyebrows furrowing, Lucy and Levy shared a look, wondering what was going on.

It was then, however, that a hush fell over the crowd, heads turning simultaneously towards the grand doors up the stairs. Following the general gaze of the crowd, they watched as the doors opened slowly, revealing a single form. Jellal stepped out onto the platform, walking so that he was just above the stairs. With a regal smile, he spoke. "I welcome you all to my queen's coronation with open arms. Apologies for the delay, we were having just a bit of trouble with the crown. No issues, however. Now, as some of you already know, this marriage was the seal on an alliance with Magnolia. So, my wife is of Magnolia descent; moreover, she is most definitely one of their most capable fighters. Without further ado, I present to you my wife, Erza Fernandes."

The magnolians watched, prideful, as Erza stepped out into the room, walking towards her husband and coming to stand beside him. Mira, Lucy, Levy and Juvia couldn't help but gasp at how dolled up their friend looked, different from the beautiful, wartime goddess she normally looked like. Tonight, she looked like a queen, right down to her posture. Jellal's arm came up from his side to wrap itself around her waist as she offered the audience a smile, eyes twinkling under the bright lights. Jellal smiled in her direction, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the red-haired woman's closest friends, before returning his attention to the dozens of people below them.

"As you know, the war is escalating rather quickly now," he began speaking, address his people and attending royals alike, as one. "I know there's several kingdoms already aiding Magnolia, but I would appreciate it if those who hadn't initially considered rethink their decision; the quicker the threat is defeated, the quicker we can all go back to our normal lives. That being said, it is time for the presentation of the Queen's crown!"

Waving a hand in the air amid the cheering and clapping, Jellal watched as Ultear and Lyon, together, carried out the crown, which was placed on a royal-blue pillow edged with gold lining and tassels. The crown was a golden circlet, set with deep-blue sapphires; the colour of Sorciere's own insignia. Picking it up gracefully, Jellal held it up high to give everyone a good look at it before turning to face Erza, eyes smouldering. Slowly, he lowered the crown onto her head, moving away her hair to make sure the crown sat properly and comfortably. She gazed up at him with half-lidded eyes, a look they shared and believed no one else saw.

However, the magnolians had been standing at an angle where they could clearly see the hidden passion in both Erza and Jellal's eyes. Natsu, Gray and Laxus shared a look; Erza hadn't been lying to them, then. Not that they thought she had been, but at the same time, they had their doubts. Was it lust? No, not with the affection they could see Jellal's action hold. There was a reigned tenderness to his every stroke, his every touch, and it left the strategist in Laxus befuddled. What was going on? Gray had told him and Natsu about the attack.

It had taken every fibre of his being to stop himself from going back to Sorciere and ripping Jellal to shreds, but nonetheless he refrained. He had to deal with the pressing matters of the war first, unfortunately, as the crown prince. One of them being the paranoia over the fact there had been no attacks in the last two months, around the same time Cobra joined them. Why was that?

Jellal, during Laxus' musings, had turned back to the crowd. He was still shaken, in a good way, about the moment he had shared with Erza in the hallway. Though, if he was being honest with himself, he didn't know how he felt about it. Constantly, guilt wrecked havoc among his consciousness, insisting he was a foul demon for what he had supposedly done to Erza. According to the nurses he woke up to in the infirmary, Erza had been found with her wounds reopened and bruises on her arms and legs. Not only that, but she had been in nothing but her undergarments. A sick feeling had enveloped his stomach when he had realized what he had tried to do, what he almost succeeded with. And from that point, he promised he would stay away from her, no matter what that meant for himself. Selfishly, he had never thought about what Erza might have wanted, which was a mistake in itself. But now they had lost time to make up for, and they had answers to hunt down. "And now, my friends, we dance!"

A roar of approval met his words before the crowd dispersed, leaving him to offer a hand to Erza; she accepted with a smile, and the duo walked down the stairs. His eyes drunk in the happiness in the room, his relief at the fact the ball had turned out much better than expected. Of course, his staff members were top notch, and he had had no doubts in his mind, but it was nice seeing it all come alive.

Erza was all but jumping up and down as she propelled over to where her family stood, awaiting her with knowing smiles. Beaming with joy, she let go of Jellal and fell into Mira's hug, shortly followed by the other females. Their excited chatters and congratulatory words flew right over her head as she took in their own appearances; it felt as if she had stepped back into a world in which she dearly missed.

"Mira...Lucy...everyone," she breathed, eyes flicking back and forth between the faces.

Levy beamed up at her old-time friend from where she stood beside her husband, teary-eyed. It was obvious seeing her friends had helped the redhead immensely, only going by the way it seemed weights, chains, had been lifted off her shoulders. "It's been too long."

"Hey," Mira said soothingly, offering Erza a reassuring smile. Being kind, compassionate, was what Mira did best, and it was definitely what Laxus loved most about her, among everything else. She had an uncanny ability to tell when someone was upset, or more so needing some reassurance or a push in the right direction. "Now's not the time to tear up, it's time to have fun. You and your husband are to open up the dance floor, so hurry! The band's already starting and everyone's waiting on you!"

With a shy nod, she turned her attention back to Jellal, who again offered her a hand with a smile. Blushing softly, she accepted the gesture and he walked her to the middle of the dance floor, where everyone made space for them and lined up against the wall, all eyes on the royals. She felt nervous; not because she couldn't dance, no, but because she was scared she and Jellal were going to end up kissing in the middle of the crowd, which would be embarrassing.

They began dancing to the music, his hands finding themselves on her hips and her own pair of arms around his neck. Jellal's eyes never strayed from Erza's face as the two of them stared at each other with the intensity of a thousand suns. Carefully, he took one of her hands into his own and spun her around, her dress fanning out and whipping around her legs, the creamy porcelain of her skin a stark contrast against the blue of the dress. A fire was being lit in Jellal's stomach, slowly gaining ferocity as he took in more and more of Erza's beauty. She was stunning, and she was all his.

Likewise, Erza was in a similar situation; staring up at Jellal, she found the rest of the world blurring away. All that matter at that moment was her husband, a man who could shatter her willpower with a single gaze and leave her a shaky mess with a kiss.

It was at that exact moment, though, that everything spiralled out of control.

Erza could feel her headache coming back, and with a gasp, she felt her body give away suddenly and fall against Jellal's, an action he hid by wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her quickly before nodding at the others to give them permission to enter the dance floor. With an arm around her waist supporting all her weight, Jellal moved through the crowds, heading for the balcony. Reaching his destination, he opened the door and closed it behind them, leaning Erza against the railing and staring at her worriedly, her skin clammy. Pressing the back of his hand against her forehead, he realized she was burning up.

"Jel..lal?" Erza's voice was hoarse as she gazed at him, her voice wobbling. Even more concerned, he pulled her against him, feeling her grab onto his cloak for support. Erza was grateful for Jellal's quick thinking, for the cool night air was already helping her breathe again. But it was then a bright white light blinded her, before flashes of a seemingly past memory echoed through her mind.

_"Jellal!" She cried out, as the duo fell against the sheets. With a boyish smile of pride, he pulled her against his naked chest and held her lovingly, placing a soft kiss against her lips before she buried her face into his chest. With a chuckle, he wrapped his arms around her waist, making sure to cover their naked forms with the silken sheets before so. Nobody saw his Scarlet's body except for him; he was possessive, it was a well-known fact._

_"We should've waited, you know," she admonished, gazing up at her lover with fondness. He scoffed in response, nipping at the joint where her neck and shoulder met up hard enough to leave a mark. She closed her eyes in bliss and let him work his magic, her hair spread out against the halo. "We're going to get married."_

_"You didn't want to wait either and you know it. We're already engaged, it's not like we're doing something wrong," he protested. He stroked her beautiful hair, hair in which he had named her after. Of course, in a short amount of time, that last name would change into his own, something he could not wait for. "You're mine and have been since we were children!"_

With an abrupt cry of agony, she fell against Jellal completely as a sharp pain echoed through her mind, banging against the walls of her head and causing her skull to throb. What the hell was _that_? If her face wasn't already flushed from the feverish heat she was emitting, it sure as hell was now. She and Jellal had never...consummated their marriage, so where did that memory come from? More pressing, they had met a couple months ago, not when they were children! Befuddled, Erza gazed up at the man in question and was immediately struck with guilt at the look of genuine panic on his face.

Catching her breath, she pushed herself off the well-muscled chest, legs shaking, and offered him a small smile. He blinked at her in disbelief, tea-green irises narrowing a fraction in resistance, but before he could say or do anything, she was speaking to him in that chiming voice of her's. "I'm okay, Jellal, don't worry."

Jellal sighed, realizing she wasn't going to explain what just happened. Gripping her chin softly, he pressed a hard kiss against her lips, hearing her gasp softly against him. Releasing her with a meaningful gaze, he pulled her into a hug quietly, dropping one last kiss against the crown of her head before pulling her towards the balcony door. "Don't scare me like that again, Erza."

A half-smile graced her lips as they reentered the ballroom, and she tilted her head upwards to plant a soft kiss against his cheek. He didn't stumble at all, or even let out a gasp like she had, but a smile made its way onto his face, the only indication that he had felt the gesture. "Of course, my king, I apologize."

The way his title rolled off her tongue sent chills down his back and subconsciously, his grip on her waist tightened. However, before he could say or do anything, the sound of glass shattering filled the air, along with screams and shouts of alarm. Lights flickered and shadows danced as bodies were thrown across the room, as if they were rag dolls. Going into autopilot, he pulled Erza flush against him, a hand reaching over the hilt of the sword that hung at his waist. The other members of the magnolian council raced over to where they stood, eyes meeting and unspoken predictions being swapped. Erza gazed around, turning to pinpoint the source of the noise, but everything was in chaos. Gray held Juvia tightly, her stomach protected from all-seeing eyes. Likewise, the other men held their wives close, but they would have none of it; they could help, and have helped in the past.

"Oh, how nice it is to see the mighty confused and scattered," a familiar voice sneered.

With that, explosions wracked the room and the lights went out, drowning them in darkness.

* * *

**A/N: Ohohoho, who do you think it is? And anyways, one last happy birthday to Nori dearest, leave her your wishes guys! Hey, as usual, I love hearing your predictions, guesses, and thoughts! What did that memory mean? What's going on with Erza and Jellal and this up and down relationship of their's? Magnolians are starting to get really confused too, hm? And just _who _crashed their party, goddamnit! Whelp, until next time, au revoir!**


	11. Night of the Ball Part 2

**A/N: Hohoho, things are going to reach climaxes soon! Read as: you'll be on the hunt for my blood in about five-ten chapters. /chuckles nervously and scratches the back of my head/ um...I hope you enjoy the chapter! Important A/N at the end though (you all might just kill me after it /sobs loudly/).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Night of the Ball PT. 2**

******"After all this time, all this _recovery_, he dared to show his face?"**

* * *

Their heads turned simultaneously in the direction of the grand staircase, now illuminated by nothing more than the filtered moonlight. Erza had already summoned one of her faithful katanas, and gripped it tightly. Jellal was still holding onto her, making it harder for Erza to move around; shaking off his lax grip, she stared hard at the staircase, trying to pinpoint the cause of this disruption.

Suddenly, she was sent flying forward, slamming into Laxus and sending the two of them tumbling. Jellal glanced around and realized Lyon and Ultear had already evacuated the majority of the citizens, and a lot of the other royals had scattered as well. He still couldn't pinpoint who, or what, had begun the destruction. However, he had no doubt in his mind it had to do with Faust, Zeref, and their pathetic army.

Natsu had his fists filled with flames, Lucy kept at his side protectively. The blonde had her celestial keys out, Loke's key held between her fingers as she waited for a reason to summon the lion spirit. It had been quite an argument that came before Lucy was allowed to come with them; not only Lucy, but the men had attempted to keep all their wives home, in the safety of their home. But the need to see Erza and make sure she was okay take over their instincts and the women had threatened to beat down their husbands unless they were allowed to come. And here they were, seemingly in danger. But they could all hold their own, and were definitely not liabilities.

Gray whirled on them, pressing Juvia between their bodies and shielding her with his own. Frustration coursed through his veins, setting off the dark-haired mage's anger. "What the hell is going on! There were no attacks for 2 whole months, and now-"

"Dark Capriccio!"

Mira cried out in surprise as a beam of darkness wrapped itself around her midsection before throwing her across the room, resulting in her hitting the banister and sliding to the floor, her snow-white hair slowly becoming a bright red as a large wound opened up on the back of her head. Laxus retaliated with anger, his golden jolts of electricity fizzling and dancing wildly. Nobody harmed his wife and got away with it, absolutely _no one_. Levy raced over to her fallen friend, ripping her dress and using the cloth to wrap it around Mira's head. Gajeel let her go, figuring she was safer off on the sidelines anyways. He put a heavy hand on Laxus' shoulder, silently hoping the man knew better than to lash out in anger. He had learned that himself, so many years ago, after all.

"So we meet again, little fairies," a deep-throat chuckle echoed through the ballroom, sending chills down their back and raising goosebumps on their arms. Subconsciously, Erza's grip on her katana tightened, her knuckles turning into a pale white as she turned to face the general direction the voice came from. That voice...why was it _familiar_? She felt as if she had heard it somewhere before, but she could not place her finger on where exactly.

Then, out of the shadows, stepped a man; _Brain_, Erza realized with a jolt, _from the camp we terminated months ago?_

_Running down towards the middle of the campsite, he stumbled over the debris and stared hard at the scene before him with a mixture of relief and desperation; Erza stood there, bathed in what he presumed to be her own blood, facing off with a duo of men. He paused for only a second before jetting over to her side, surprising the trio with his appearance._

_Erza had finally found the remaining Generals when Jellal had raced over, throwing her off guard. Immediately, without saying a word, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him, and Erza felt the shaking of his body. She immediately felt guilty for making him worry so much; having someone constantly worry about you and only you was a concept new to Erza, for she had never been the sole reason of someone's worry before. Of course, prior to the arranged marriage, her team had always worried their friends with their outlandish, reckless actions, but this was still a newer concept than she would've liked. _

_"As we were saying," the taller, tanned one continued in a pleasant voice, whilst clasping his fingers behind his back. His bleached hair was pulled back from his face, revealing the sharpened, chiselled features and aiding them rather than taking away. "You are all to perish soon enough. Lord Faust will make sure of it."_

_Jellal's grip tightened at the mention of the accursed uncle that seemed to be brought up so often. So Faust was a ringleader, of sorts, in this war. That just made it ten times worse; the man was diabolical, and Jellal was goddamn well-aware of what Faust was capable of, being on the receiving end one too many times._

_"You!" Natsu's voice suddenly interrupted angrily. The royal duo turned and found the others running towards them, their bodies tense and ready to act. Erza was relieved to find Natsu wasn't as injured as he could be, in comparison to Gray who was battered and Laxus, who didn't have so much as a scratch on him. "Get over here so we can kick your ass!"_

_"Midnight, Brain," someone whom Jellal didn't recognize spoke up with a cold voice. Cobra knew of both Midnight and Zero's capabilities especially when their patience and anger were tested. They couldn't afford to make them that angry, considering both Titania's conditions as well as the ice mage's conditions. He himself was tired. "Don't be cowardly. I know what you are planning on doing and trust me, it's in your best interest to stay and fight."  
_

_Erza was confused as to why Cobra was walking alongside her friends, but she knew Natsu's ability to get through to people with his reason and his nakama speeches. She could only be amazed by how the rosette had gotten through to the bitter, bitter man, enough to make him join their forces; though, deep down, she knew he would be a great asset in the long-run. Another dragon-slayer among their armies would only prove helpful, but not only that, but the man was skilled with poison as well. _

_The shorter one chuckled, a dangerous sound, as the group of four made their way to where Erza and Jellal stood. Laxus was helping Gray walk, for the man's leg had been totalled during their fight with Azuma. Midnight's blackened lips stretched out in what was considered a smile, but in a deadly way. "I see you've defected, Cobra. Do not fret, we saw it coming. Alas, it is time for us to part, whether you approve or not. You are the dirt on our shoes, magnolians. Until we meet again."_

_They vanished in a cloud of blackish smoke._

_He was the man I met up with, before Jellal came to the camp and the others finished fighting, _she thought_. Is he leading the attack tonight? Seems like it...so he was the one who attacked Mira._ Brain had neat silver hair that reaches his shoulders, dark skin and even dark eyes. His height and width was above average, due to the bulging muscles that flexed whenever he walked. _An intimidating build fit for an intimidating personality_, she supposed.

Laxus wasted no time, his anger clouding his judgment despite Gajeel's obvious warning; Mira seemed to be lolling in and out of consciousness. He raised his clenched fist in the air and chanted "_Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction!_". A large bolt of lightning appeared, descending upon Brain, who had little to no time to escape.

The smoke settled and cleared, and they waited with bated breathes. Could it really be over, before it begun? However, Brain had erected a translucent green barrier to protect himself from Laxus' attack, the light shimmering and crackling before fading, revealing an uninjured man.

Brain first gathered a large amount of Darkness Magic around his fingertips before unleashing it as a wave of countless phantoms, shocking the group of mages into action. He barked out in laughter as they dodged the various faces, swords, ice, fire and magic in general flying through the air. "They only seek to erase the target's soul, and even their very existence! Good luck, fairies!"

Zero darted toward his targets, Jellal and Erza, and attacked them with a wave of Darkness Magic that he, just prior, gathered around his fist. The duo jumped out of the way, landing in front of the wall with overhanging drapes and several portraits lining the walls. With a smirk, Zero retaliated by slamming a hand against both of their chests, pushing them up against the wall where he, quickly, lifted one of the portraits and shoved them through, before letting it fall back in place.

Mission accomplished, per usual. He turned back to where the fairy trash were fighting his son, Midnight, to no avail.

Laxus grit his teeth, before deciding to go onto the offensive and move. Through the use of his Lightning Magic, he was capable of transforming his own body into electricity, turning himself into a lightning bolt, whose size can vary from mere, fast-moving sparks to large pillars of lightning. Jetting through the darkness, he slammed into Midnight, sending the man sprawling.

But this was merely the beginning of the fight.

* * *

Erza and Jellal stumbled through the opening, both of them crying out before hitting the dusty floor, hearing the resounding smack as the painting was put back in place. Wincing, Jellal got to his feet before helping Erza up, holding her close and relishing the warmth she gave off. She clung to him, closing her eyes and momentarily forgetting their predicament.

Jellal found himself grabbing Erza's chin, softly pulling her towards him and kissing her with all his might. She was hesitant for a moment before she fell into his touch, her hands coming up to rest against his pectorals as she responded to his lips with fervour. This wasn't an embrace of passion, but one of reassurance. One that spoke volumes: '_we'll be fine, I promise_'. He ran a hand through her tangled tresses, before releasing her when they both ran out of air.

Jellal and Erza both pulled away, averting their gazes, before Erza took in their surroundings. She took in the dirtied staircases, covered in dust, and the drapes blocking out all of the moonlight. This was a part of the castle she had yet to see, she noted with a frown of surprise and apprehension. In the last two months, she had explored every nook and cranny of the castle. Every visible area, at least. Did that mean this dirty, stale wing of the castle was hidden from the rest? But how big was the wing, really, for it to be so well-hidden from her? Erza boasted to herself regarding her warrior instincts on a daily basis, and this misplacement left a decent-sized dent on her pride. Moreover, she knew the staff worked tirelessly to keep the castle tidy and prim, and going by the dirt and the musty air, this is one part of the castle they left alone. But why? What was this wing, and why did Jellal look so...distraught?

Jellal, on the other hand, was livid; how did he not even notice their separation from the group? How had he not guessed that _he _was to play a part in this...attack? Infiltration? He glanced sideways at his spouse and found her inspecting the corridor, and could practically see the gears whirling in her head as she tried to figure out a plausible reason as to why she didn't know where they were. Of course, with her intelligence, it wouldn't take her too long for her to realize that this wing was hidden, the only entrance been a well-kept secret by himself, Ultear and Lyon. "Erza...I can explain."

Her amber eyes found his, and there were too many swirling emotions within them for him to try and pick them apart. His words, his flimsy excuse, died in his throat as he found himself awaiting her words.

"What is this?" Erza asked quietly. Unknown to Jellal, she had indeed seen the anger in his eyes when he realized where they were. The prideful warrior within her wanted answers, and she wanted them now. However, she could still tell Jellal wasn't exactly willing to give them, for whatever reason. The bluenette opened his mouth, ready to spill; she had a right to know, after all. She had to make her own choice, for it was one Jellal could not make for her.

Suddenly, a loud bang interrupted Jellal, who grabbed Erza's wrist and pulled her to him out of pure instinct. He already knew who was there, who had led the ambush tonight, but it didn't stop the loud, angry snarl that ripped from his throat. He vowed to keep Erza safe, no matter the preceding consequences.

Faust let out a chuckle and moved closer to the couple, out of the shadows and further out into the corridor he remembered so well. "Now, now, is that the proper way of greeting family? My insufficient brother taught you next to nothing I see. Ah...hello again, Scarlet, it's nice to see your pretty little face again."

Jellal grit his teeth, hands balled into fists. Faust's very presence itself deterred him, to the point of insanity. Having him so close to Erza, too, caused an indescribable fire within him. Erza cast a worried glance in his direction, before glaring viciously at the smirking Faust. She remembered the first meeting she had with the man, the night of the attack on Sorciere.

_It was then that the red-haired woman herself happened to stumble upon the fight, by luck, for she had been looking for any of her family members. She was racing down the pathway and wearing one of her armors. Jellal turned hastily, glaring at her as she landed beside him and held up her sword, blocking off one of Faust's attacks. Both men stopped mid-tirade, disgruntled by the sudden turn of events. _

_"Erza, get out of here," her husband hissed, gripping her hand and trying to push her away. Of course, her stubbornness made an appearance, and she stood her ground, digging her heels into the softened earth and glaring up and into Jellal's mesmerizing tea-green irises. However, before she could retort at least one reason why she should stay, Faust started laughing, catching both of their attentions._

_"Ah, this must be your wife," Faust smirked evilly. The familiar face of the redhead his nephew treasured so many years ago was in front of him, his nephew's hands gripping her own. Ivan would destroy them all, and then Faust would finally get his hands on the blasted kingdom his brother deprived him of. Of course, that didn't mean that in the mean time he wasn't allowed to have some fun with Jellal and co, did it now? "It's nice to see you again, Miss Scarlet."_

_Erza was confused, to say the least. Jellal was gripping her hand so hard she was pretty sure some of the bones had fractured, but their attention was solely on the General in front of them. He stood with aloof arrogance, and Erza could tell, straight off the bat, the man's magic was not something to be taken lightly. "I have never met you before in my life, you foul being. How would you know of my maiden name? Unless, of course, you're a General?"_

_Ah yes, Faust remembered that plan. Sneering in their direction, he moved forward, an action that didn't go unnoticed by either of them. They tensed, glaring at him and Erza gripped the hilt of her katana tighter. "You picked a smart one, nephew. Yes, Scarlet, I am a General. Ivan's General 2, which is as high up as any of us can get."_

_Nephew? Erza stole a quick glance at Jellal, but his jaw was set and he wouldn't dare look anywhere but Faust. Suddenly, they were airborne, Faust having made his move, flying into the dirt meters from where they stood. Coughing, she rolled around in the mud for a moment before realizing Jellal was already back onto his feet and running through the rising dust. Raising herself, she squinted and winced as her eyes started watering. _

_She stumbled through the debris, gritting her teeth and moving sluggishly towards the sounds of the explosions and shouting. Finally, after a few minutes of blind navigation, she found herself running towards Jellal's back. His magic was going haywire, sparking and sizzling, and Erza was afraid it may end up hitting him. Reaching him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him from the back, something she automatically knew would calm him down. And she was right; immediately, she felt his magic become tamer, and Jellal relaxed into her hold. He was angered, thriving blood, and Erza knew she absolutely had to calm him down before he did something he would regret._

_"Erza?" His voice was hoarse, as if he was unsure of what was going on. Turning his head to glance over his shoulder, he found her clinging to his torso, her face gazing up at him with worry shining in her amber irises. Continuing his spell, he pulled out of his grasp only to grab her waist and pull her to him, holding her close and against his side; she was out of the way of the attack, for the most part. He glowered in remembrance of the earlier attack that had hit her as well as himself; he wouldn't let it happen again._

_Faust was adamant with his own attacks, aiming for openings and roaring once Jellal expertly covered them whilst counterattacking. He wanted this man's blood on his hands, he wanted it spilled. It was his fault his sister suffered so much, it was his fault the Fernandes family had fallen apart. Jellal wanted Faust dead, by any means necessary. He knew Erza was speaking to him, trying to convince him to calm down, but he couldn't. He was beyond reason, and he knew Erza felt it. _

_"You'll be dead by dawn, Faust!" Jellal roared, opting to shove Erza aside and began with own of his ace attacks, to only hear Faust's next words._

_"Ah, but m'dear nephew, I am leaving now and it is not dawn. Don't make claims you cannot immediately achieve, son, or has your pathetic father taught you nothing before his, ah...unfortunate death?"_

_With a final laugh, and before Jellal could scream out his response, Faust was gone like a breath of nauseating wind._

Despite knowing nothing about Jellal's past, she knew that her husband had no love for the warlord standing a few meters away from them. "Men like you disgust me. What past do you have with Jellal?"

Faust's booming laughter echoed through the room, sending shivers up the redhead's spine. He eyed her with a sly, leering grin, before addressing his nephew. _This should be rather interesting_, he mused to himself, _considering circumstances_. "So, you _haven't _told her yet, nephew? Why you're a shame to the Fernandes family? A _sinner_? Scared she'll _run_, like any logical woman would do? More specifically, who I am to you? What you've done?"

The questions bombarded him, coming at him one after another without delay in-between. Jellal growled loudly, a furious noise, before taking a menacing step forward; the only thing stopping him from ripping off his uncle's head was the iron-like grip Erza had on his arm, holding him in place. Faust was using his past against him, to get Erza to think of him in a new light. A negative light, at that, and he wouldn't stand for it. Not while he had a say in what was going on, which, as far as he was concerned, he did. Faust's mocking tone pushed him over the edge. "You shut up and get lost _now_, Faust."

Said man clasped his hands behind his back, his smirk widening. He enjoyed pushing the young man's buttons, a job he found quite easy; most would think Sorciere's current king wasn't so easy to meddle with, but it was quite the contrary. At least to him it was. "Erza, dear, have you ever wondered where Jellal's parents are? Why they aren't around?"

The redhead's eyebrows furrowed, the mocking use of the endearment lost on her for the moment. She vaguely remembered that Jellal had been named king by his father, whom died shortly after, leaving Jellal to deal with the kingdom all by himself; with the help of Ultear, of course. "Jellal...Jellal's father died of a disease but named him king before he died, did he not?"

The older man rolled his eyes, understanding her ignorance. After all, there was really only a handful of people who knew of what really happened. But now, for the sake of their plan, there would have to be one more. They needed to be broken, and his version of the truth should be more than enough to do so. "Even if you believed that spun story Jellal made up, how would that explain the absence of his mother? How did _she _die, in that pathetic story of yours?"

At a loss of words, Erza could only return her gaze to Jellal, who was looking at everyone and anyone but her. The queen had never really been mentioned in the rumours and truths of the Sorciere kingdom's past royalty, nor was she ever mentioned by either Jellal or Ultear. Was there a darker, more sinister, reason for the woman's disappearance? "It...doesn't...but-"

"Of course it doesn't, since the whole story is a lie, dear," Faust eyed his nephew with a superior light in his eyes. Now...now, it was time to reclaim his former glory. He would do so, and this was the first step: destroying his blasted brother's crowned son to the point where he would not be recognized by any for who he was. "You want the truth, of what really happened that night so many years ago? Both his parents died on that one night, yes, but not from diseases. They were-"

"Faust, _stop_!" Jellal's angered cry did nothing to stop his blood-related family.

"-Both brutally murdered, by your husband's hands."

Erza couldn't stop the gasp that echoed from her mouth, shock overtaking her body. Jellal murdered his parents? Unconsciously, she drifted away from the man in question, ignoring the pained look that crossed his features at her movement. She was married to a murderer, judging by how Jellal was doing nothing to deny the accusation. "_What_?"

"Of course he wouldn't tell you; wouldn't want you running off now would we?" Faust continued, relishing the damage he was causing. "But, what _really _happened the night your husband became king-"

But Jellal couldn't hear what lies Faust was spinning, for he was lost in his own memories; one of the only vivid recollections he had of his past...

_A 16-year old Jellal sat beside his brother, Mystogan, underneath their mother's sakura trees. Their other brother was nowhere to be seen; the trio were triplets, Mystogan being the oldest, followed by their brother, and finally Jellal. A mere two minutes separated all their births. Their younger sister Wendy, who was at the tender age of 2, sat in Mystogan's lap as they watched the sunset. Ultear was nowhere in sight, most likely out with her friends._

_"Hey, Myst?" Jellal murmured, glancing over at his older brother. For years, he looked up to the natural-born leader with admiration. Mystogan had the instincts of a true king, and Jellal knew he wouldn't mind when his brother became king, because he would lead the kingdom with a clear mind; a mind altered to keep justice balanced and with safety in the forefront thoughts. _

_"Hm?" Mystogan glanced over at his brother, finding a troubled look on his face. He knew Jellal was introverted, and it was rare to see emotions displayed so openly on his face. "What's wrong, little brother?"_

_Jellal opted not to respond yet, instead staring up at the castle, where their parents' wing stood. All day, he felt a fear bubbling within him, albeit indescribable in its might. Why was he feeling so...callous? What was going to happen? And why, most importantly, did he feel like it was to involve their parents and brother? "I...may we go check on our parents, please?"_

_Mystogan frowned, unsure, but nonetheless stood whilst juggling Wendy in his arms; he was completely taken with his little sister, and had been since she was born. "Your instincts have never failed you, Jel, so we shall. Come now, hurry, for it is almost Wendy's feeding time and you know how she gets a tad fussy when even a minute late."_

_Nodding, Jellal got onto his feet and together, the trio made their way over to the castle's doors, nodding and smiling back at their staff. Making their way through the halls, they travelled in comfortable silence. But Jellal was still queasy, and he realized why once they were within earshot of their parents' chambers._

_"You _know _I'm better suited to be king!" Someone, Siegrain, was roaring, his anger evident even in his tone. "Why would you lie to yourselves like this?! He'll run this goddamn kingdom into the ground!"_

_Brows furrowing, the other two brothers glanced at each other worriedly before entering the room and gasping in horror at what they saw. _

_Their mother, Grandeeney, was on the floor, her arms covered in scratches and cuts. She stared up at her second eldest son with a look of...disappointment? Anger? She was the first to see her three of her other children enter the room, however. Her eyes widened in fear for their safety, but Siegrain captured her attention again by grabbing her injured arm and yanking her onto her feet. With a cry, she stumbled forward._

_Guran Dorma, the current king of Sorciere, roared out in anger at his wife's mistreatment. "Son, you let your mother go _right this instant_! You are overtaken with rage and jealousy!"_

_"Shut up, you old, blundering-" Siegrain was cut off by a fist flying into his fist. His hold on the queen loosened momentarily, allowing her to pull free and back up, where Mystogan and Wendy were. The man's hand came out to pull his mother into his side, a glare present on his face. Carefully, he wrapped an arm around his mother's waist to support her while balancing his little sister with his other arm, all the while wondering if Ultear was _really_ safe and well._

_"I don't know what's going on, Sieg," Jellal began quietly, his eyes burning with intensity from where he stood beside his brother. The negativity flowing off the normally calm, smiling man shocked Mystogan, but right now, he didn't object. He knew interference would not bode well for anyone involved, if the murderous looks on the faces of his brothers were anything to go by. "But you hurt mom."_

_His brother laughed cruelly, shoving him away. Anger shrouded his logic, his uncle's plans fading away to give room to his own desires and blood lust. "Grow up, Jel, you seem really pathetic as of now. What have you accomplished? What can you brag about to the councils and courts of other kingdoms? Unlike I, you've done nothing! You have the naive mind of a child, filled with peace. But you're wrong, Jel, because war is brewing on the horizon, and soon it will come crashing down on this pathetic kingdom. Unless, of course, it was handed to me, who has the power and connections to stop something from happening before it's too late." _

_Jellal's eyes narrowed at his brother's audacity; he was content with his quiet life, and everyone knew that. No one ever pestered the prince about his way of life, for they respected him and admired his acceptance of the fact the throne would most likely never be his. And what was this about war? Connections? Power? Siegrain had always been distant from his brothers, but lately he had been vanishing and coming back days later. And Jellal was slowly beginning to understand why, and had a general idea of what his journeys meant. "You know I've never been one to bask in the spotlight, brother, but apparently you want exactly that."_

_Siegrain laughed maniacally. The spotlight? No, he wanted much, much more than the silly spotlight his brother spoke of. He wanted blood on his hands, the blood of his family. He wanted chaos and destruction, and he wanted to be the cause of that destruction. "Of course I want it! You need to be a fool not to, you know. Though, 'fool' perfectly sums up what you are."_

_Their father stepped between them, the animosity in Siegrain's voice sending jolts of pain through his heart. This was his own flesh and blood, his son, who spoke so lowly of their home, their kingdom. The thought made him sick, but was balanced out by the pride for Jellal, who was standing up to his older brother. "Siegrain, I will give you one chance to redeem yourself! Apologize-"_

_"Shut UP!" The man in question roared. _

_Before blasting his father._

_With a cry of pain, surprise and shock rolled into one, the king dropped like a stone. Several yells echoed through the room, Jellal moving quick; smashing his fists into his brother's nose, he brought his knee up and slammed it into his ribs. Sieg grunted, dropping onto one of his knees, but Jellal didn't capitalize. Instead, he moved over to their father quickly, kneeling over the man and shouting questions with worry. _Fools_, Siegrain thought angrily. _They wouldn't know what hit them_. _

_Mystogan moved into the room, clutching Wendy closely. His body was shaking with suppressed anger; how dare Siegrain shoot his own, their, father! His visions, his nightmares from previous nights, were coming true, and he wasn't yet ready for this. Damn it, he should've warned his family! "Siegrain, you have taken this too far-"_

_He ducked out of the way as his brother shot at him as well, however less intent on hitting him, gritting his teeth as Wendy began to whimper. He felt her magic stir violently, and every instinct he had in his body roared at him to flee the castle. If war really was coming...he had to prepare. Taking the throne from his father would do them no good, if his visions were anything to go by. There would have to be a scapegoat, someone to place on the throne until it was time. _

_And his eye's found Jellal, with tears rushing down his face and hands pressing down on their father's wound. He...would do. He knew Jellal was perfectly capable of keeping their parents safe and out of harm's way, for the man had incredible abilities. And Mystogan found himself talking, quietly. "You...this kingdom...this kingdom will not fall. It was rise above all challenges, including a fight for the throne. For I shall not take it, rather I would like to hand the status of crown prince to my brother. My word is final, do not follow me."_

_Before anybody could object, he whirled and started running, Wendy still clinging to his cloak. Pulling the hood up and hiding her within his cloak, he decided he would run to his secret training house; it was fully stocked, they would last quite a while before they would need food. He kept most of his savings there, too. No matter what, a part of him couldn't bear parting with the bluenette in his arms; she was too precious to him. _

_Jellal and his parents stared at the door, watching their eldest and their youngest run. Siegrain let out a throaty chuckle, wasting now time in shoving Jellal away from him. Said man stumbled into the bed, his head bouncing off the post with no mercy. Jellal was in shock, however; the throne...was to be his? What was his brother thinking, he had _known_ Jellal didn't want it! _

_And Siegrain knew that. "Give me the right to the throne, little brother. All hope has abandoned you, has it not?"_

_Guran looked up from the floor, bones rattling and body shaking. "No...son...you must __give in to your brother. Only God knows what he will do to the kingdom. Stay firm my son! You have the power of a true king within you! No matter what people will say, and believe me, people will talk…stay true to who you are! I…I believe you in you, Jellal. Good luck-"_

_"Shut up!" Siegrain roared again. Raising his palm before Jellal could object, he shot at his father again, the power burning through the older man's body. Guran Dorma gasped, a wet noise, before falling silent, all life leaving his eyes._

_And Jellal could only stand there, paralyzed, while his mother fell to her knees and sobbed for the loss of her husband, her lover. "You…you monster! I did not mother such a beast, what has become of you? With the power invested in myself as the reigning queen of Sorciere, I hear by banish you from this kingdom! I disown you from our family! You do not deserve such an honour, and you never will! Jellal, son, I love you…take care of little Ultear, and our baby Wendy when the time is right. I beg of you-!"_

_Siegrain shot her through the heart, seemingly finally done trying to converse with his 'family'. "I wouldn't want to carry around the pathetic Fernandes name, anyways, you hag. Sorciere's apocalypse is upon you now!"_

_And the man walked out, leaving Jellal, stock still, with two bodies. His mind was blank, the shock echoing, but it most certainly did not take long for him to fall to his knees and let loose a mighty, pained cry. A cry that begged for this all to be fake, a sick joke._

_But reality spat in his face. _

Jellal couldn't remember what followed those events, nor did he ever think about that horrid night enough to wonder.

Erza's mind whirled as Faust told her about Jellal's desire for the throne, and despite being the crown prince, killed his parents to get what he wanted. The disease rumour had been a lie to keep Ultear, his sister who loved their parents dearly, in the dark.

_"Wow, Erza," the man spoke to her as they themselves ran up to the front doors, albeit at a much slower pace. The duo was long gone, the doors left open for their partners. Jellal had, never in the time Lyon had been here, ever shown such a display of affection towards anyone. Granted he never even talked with his previous suitors, but...this was completely different from the man's normal actions. "You've been here less than a day and you're already shaking up the normal."_

_Said woman's mind was still blank from the sudden display of affection from the seemingly cold man. What had that been? Nobody had ever told her he had a caring, protective side, for crying out loud! This man's bipolar behaviour was giving her a headache, and all she wanted was a warm bath. Of course, she could only hope to unravel what was her husband's complexity, but now was not the time. There was bigger problems they had to deal with, and she would not be childish and request a bath in the middle of it all. "Lyon, we have to help them!"_

_He shook his head, giving her a warning look. He still remembered the first time he had attempted to help them during a crisis, and had the scar to prove it actually occurred. "They are very prideful, Erza, and you will soon come to realize this. They don't let the people they care for get involved with the dangerous stuff here in Sorciere. Of course, it's particularly bad for me, considering she's my wife; as the husband, I should be protecting her, not the other way around."_

_"Sexist bastard," she mumbled, heavyhearted, earning a chuckle from the man. He remembered the first time he'd met the redhead, when she, Gray, Natsu and Lucy had come to Lamia Scale to help with the war that was tearing up kingdom after kingdom. She had been breaking up a fight between the two men whilst Lucy laughed. The group truly was inseparable so he knew how much of a sacrifice Erza had made when she agreed to come all the way out to Sorciere for her kingdom's sake. She was, really, a remarkable woman._

_"But seriously Erza," he continued. "I've never seen him look at someone like that before in a long, long time."_

_She fidgeted as they slowed to walk, entering the castle. it was grand, and draped in warm hues of red and gold. The ceiling arched high above their heads, the window panes tinted with the kingdom's insignia. It was a truly beautiful layout, and she couldn't help but remind herself, numbly, that this was her new home. "Did he...have a lover?"_

_"No. It was much, much worse what happened to them both," he sighed. Still, he vividly remembered the night Ultear had told him. There had been tears, sobs, and he could barely do anything more than offer his warmth. Nightmares had followed for weeks, and both he and Jellal had been greatly affected by her change in attitude. Thankfully, she was back to normal. "Don't force the conversation out of him, Erza. It took Ultear quite some time before she told me."_

_"Is it that bad?" She inquired, her eyes still taking in the castle. She could only, at this point, wonder what had affected Jellal so badly that he completely shut out the emotion of love, but she knew, through Lyon's tone of voice, that it wasn't something she herself should bring up. Again, she regretted bringing the topic up in the carriage. He had every right to get angry, but of course calling her a whore was unnecessary. _

_"Yes, it really is," Lyon's eyes turned sad. He knew that the pain of the event had left scars all over both siblings, and he also knew that there had never been anyone to heal Jellal's the way he was there to heal Ultear's. He and Ultear could only hope that Erza was the one to do that, and possibly get him back to the way he was before. "But..."_

_"But?" They were now climbing the stairs, maids from all directions bowing quickly to Lyon and offering her a curious look and a smile. She was a little unnerved by the fact that they already had an idea of who she was, or if they were just that friendly. Lyon threw in that it was the latter. _

_"It could be fixed, it would just be extremely hard."_

Like hell it could've been fixed! She couldn't bring dead people back to life; was Lyon lied to as well? She whirled to face Jellal who was facing the wall with his jaw clenched. "Is this all true Jellal? Is it? Did you murder your parents for the sake of power?"

The blue-haired man turned to her, and for a moment, Erza could've sworn she saw sadness and regret cross through his beautiful tea-green eyes. But it was only for a split second, gone before she could process it fully, before he nodded, which was a slow action that confirmed all her worst nightmares.

She slapped him.

With morbid satisfaction, she watched his head snap to the side from the force of her hit, feeling no remorse for the sinful man. How dare he act like the good guy, that day so many days ago! She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly remembered their time together, the night after the attack.

_Jellal trudged up into his bedroom, stretching his arms and resisting the urge to yawn; it had been a tiring night. He had been informed that the Magnolia crew had camped out in the infirmary, and that his wife had gone up into his chambers. He forced down the happiness in the fact she had been waiting for him and refused to sleep until she was forced. It brought hope to his heart._

_Closing the door behind him quietly, he turned and found Erza's unmoving form under the sheets, facing the other way. Dawn light cast a soft glow across the room, illuminating the various surfaces with a golden glow. Had it only been yesterday that Erza had come to Sorciere? It already felt like so long. Sighing, he kicked off his boots and gently lifted up the sheets, sliding his half-naked form onto the bed. He was too numb from the biting winds to care about the lacerations running the length of his torso, for all he wanted was some warmth and some sleep. Careful not to wake the slumbering redhead, he wrapped the sheets around them and quietly manipulated her form until she was facing him. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, relishing the feel of her skin against his._

_Erza, upon being shifted, started, waking up and blinking up sluggishly. Years of being a General for Magnolia's army had turned her into a lightweight, and at the slightest movement she awoke. Of course, she was relieved to find Jellal back in her arms, and smiled softly at him; her worry and mulling had been in vain, then. "Welcome back. Anything wrong?"_

_He absentmindedly kissed her forehead, offering a lilt of his own lips to her but not responding. He didn't want to ruin whatever image she had of him so soon, however selfish that might be. He couldn't tell her of the things he'd done, the things he'd seen, and expect her to stay close to him, could he? That was preposterous. "Nothing worth mentioning, no. I apologize for waking you."_

_Pressing her face against his pectorals and ignoring what was a blatant lie, she brought her own arms up around him. She knew she should be questioning why in hell she was already so comfortable with her husband as of the last day, but every irrational part of her mind was throwing caution out of the window. Her family had already accepted the strange circumstances of her trust, so she should too. She felt his grip tighten around her form thoughtfully; bringing her head up, she found him smiling down at her._

_"I was thinking," he began. "You need a coronation ball. Some of our people have seen you already, but a formal ball is in order for our court and whatnot to know you are my wife and their queen. Since this war is upon us, I was thinking of having it done in about two weeks time? It's a tradition and other royalty must be present. Of course, we'll invite your family, and it'll be amazing, but if you don't want to it's fine."_

_Erza's cheeks reddened at the prospect of being introduced as Jellal's wife. Of course, she knew it would have to happen at some point, but a glorified ball? She didn't really like to be the centre of attention, but the way his eyes sparkled whilst describing all the things they had to do as the royal couple caused her to reel backwards with her thoughts. There was also the fact it was a tradition; she remembered Mira's ball with clarity. How could she say no? "Of course we can have a ball, if that's what you want."_

_He smiled brightly at her, thoughts of sleep thrown aside in his excitement at claiming Erza as his own in public. Despite her openly-displayed dislike for her possessiveness, he couldn't help it; a huge part of him didn't want people ogling his wife. He didn't know what the root of the feeling was, and he didn't care enough to try and figure it out. All he knew was he wanted to integrate Erza into his kingdom as much as he could and as fast as he could._

_It might have been in his happiness of being able to introduce Erza to his beloved people, and it might have been the fact that he was in dire need of some sleep, but Jellal bent down upon impulse and locked lips with Erza. _

_The requip mage froze, eyes widening, before she felt her control on her logic slipping as her lips started moving against his softly, a fire burning bright within her heart that she couldn't place. Why did this feeling feel so...right? No, was she wrong to go off on it, rather than avoiding it? _

_Jellal, now wide awake, realized what he had done. But his surprise came in when Erza started to respond, her touch uncertain and shaky. Smiling internally at how pure and innocent she was, he steeled himself and rolled over so her petite form lay under his, never breaking contact with her lips. Going on instinct, he brought his hands up to cup her face, the other tangling itself into her red locks. He growled after hearing a quiet mewl from the woman beneath him, the sound coiling his muscles taut. _

_Erza brought her legs up to wrap themselves around his lower-half, bringing him in closer than before. Her arms winded themselves around his neck and she pulled on the blue tresses as much as she could without hurting him or ripping any of the strands off. _

_During the duration of the kiss, both of them couldn't help but think that they had done this before, but that was crazy; they had only met the day before. How could they remember the joy of kissing each other if this was this first time doing so? That was impossible, was it not? Suddenly, they saw flashes of sunlight, heard ringing laughter, and saw flashes of naked skin. Gasping in pain as a sharp-shooting sting echoed through their minds, they pulled apart, panting. _

_"Jellal...? What was that?" Erza asked, her voice ragged. He leaned over her for a moment, the sheets lifting and pooling around their waists, before placing a tender kiss against her forehead. He was shaken up himself, both from the kiss and the sudden flashbacks, but he wouldn't show it. Lowering himself onto her and being cautious as to not putting his full weight onto her form (yet he didn't doubt she couldn't take it), he replied, "I...don't know." _

"You bastard!" Erza cried, infuriated. He stole her first kiss, he lied to her face! He made himself seem innocent, and she accepted him and all his flaws. What a fool she truly was! He deserved no mercy, no love."The night of the attack on Sorciere, you came back late. Were you off meeting with someone? Someone who helped you murder your parents?!"

Jellal jumped, startled, remembering that he had met up with Mystogan and Wendy that night. But he couldn't let her know about their existence, could he? That would be endangering them! So, instead, he stayed silent and confirmed her false suspicions. With every passing accusation, he could feel their relationship breaking past the point of mending, past the point of salvation. And it _hurt_. It hurt more than it should've.

Faust couldn't help but smirk widely as he watched the redhead take her anger out on his blasted nephew, who stood there and took it all. He was immensely proud to say this was of his doing, of course; the boy didn't deserve any form of happiness, not after taking his rightful throne from him. "Well, now that-"

"Now, now, uncle. I must have a turn in torturing my little brother, must I not?"

Faust's eyes became the size of saucers. What did he think he was doing? Magnolia's Titania didn't know of his existence, and it was supposed to stay that way, damn it! "No, you...you weren't supposed to...this contradicts the story I just finished telling the girl!"

The unnamed person let out a blood-chilling laugh. "Like I care."

Jellal's mind raced, already knowing who exactly was talking to his uncle. Eyes widening and form stiffening, he gripped Erza's hand tightly as he pulled her against him rather forcefully, blood pumping in his ears whilst his heartbeat quickened considerably. After all this time, all this _recovery_, he dared to show his face?

Erza let out a soft hiss as she slammed into Jellal's body, but didn't provide much of a struggle as the man wrapped his arms around her waist and held her protectively. Considering what Faust just said, he _had _lied to her earlier concerning Jellal's parents and his supposed past. But to what extent exactly?

_At a loss of words, Erza could only return her gaze to Jellal, who was looking at everyone and anyone but her. The queen had never really been mentioned in the rumours and truths of the Sorciere kingdom's past royalty, nor was she ever mentioned by either Jellal or Ultear. Was there a darker, more sinister, reason for the woman's disappearance? "It...doesn't..."_

_"Of course it doesn't, since the whole story is a lie, dear," Faust eyed his nephew with a superior light in his eyes. Now...now, it was time to reclaim his former glory. He would do so, and this was the first step: destroying his blasted brother's crowned son to the point where he would not be recognized by any for who he was. "You want the truth, of what really happened that night so many years ago? Both his parents died on that one night, yes, but not from diseases. They were-"_

_"Faust, _stop_!" Jellal's angered cry did nothing to stop his blood-related family. _

_"-Both brutally murdered, by your husband's hands."_

Did that mean Jellal didn't murder his parents? A heavy amount of guilt settled down on her chest, for she had been so quick to believe Faust's words. He was the enemy for crying out loud, what did she think she was doing? With those thoughts, she pressed closer to Jellal, not enjoying his silence the slightest. And just when they had begun to make progress, too...

Before he or Erza could speak, a man stepped out of the shadows, a smirk playing his lips. He wore clothes the same colours of Faust's own uniform, indicating his affiliation with the enemy. Erza couldn't stop the soft gasp that fell from her lips, eyes widening in shock. Who the hell was this? And why the hell did he look _exactly _like Jellal?

"Siegrain," Jellal snarled, the name unfamiliar to Erza. But clearly it meant something to Jellal. The man smirked, his eyes moving over to her and travelling down her form. She felt exposed, in her gown. With a growl of anger, Jellal stepped in front of the redhead and stared down his doppelganger, an action 'Siegrain' found rather amusing.

"Quite a looker you scored, Jel," the man chuckled. His younger brother still looked like the child he had been so many nights ago, in the very same tower, when he had murdered their parents without a second thought before...everything else that had happened occurred. Ah, yes, those actions...he enjoyed them immensely. Noticing her angry glare, he continued. "Feisty too. How good is she in bed? No, how about you lend her to me for a night? Sharing is caring, right? Lend her to your brother, Jel!"

"How about I rip your throat out instead?" Erza retorted, her fiery anger making a reappearance for the first time since she had yelled at Jellal. Three sets of eyes turned to her, one in warning, one in shock, and another in amusement. She could tell her husband was trying to stop her from saying anything else, but it couldn't be helped; she despised the way this Siegrain character was talking about her. She wasn't an object to be mentioned so casually, so _vulgarly_.

"Angel, such nasty things shouldn't be coming out of that pretty little mouth of yours," he smiled crookedly. He enjoyed pushing his brother the way he was now, if his balled fists were anything to go by. _If only he understood his attraction to the redhead_, Sieg mused to himself. _It would be so much funnier...messing with him_. "I know, how about I punish you for it?"

"Enough!" Jellal roared, his anger suffocating him. How dare Siegrain talk to Erza in that degrading way of his! However, before he could say or do anything to his brother, another familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Siegrain, you haven't changed in all these years, have you?"

Everyone turned towards the source of the voice, and Jellal was shocked to see both Wendy and Mystogan standing in the entrance, the latter looking downright furious as he glared at his brother. Mystogan's eyes found Jellal's, and for a second he remembered back to when he had chased Wendy down, close to their home.

_Jellal had been running for what seemed like hours now; when did she get so damn fast? And just where the hell was she running? _

_"Stop chasing me!" The fear in her voice made his heart ache painfully. So now she was scared of him? She really did think it had been his fault; throwing caution out the window, he kept running, hoping she'd lead him to him as well. Tripping over the broken cobblestone, he winced as he slammed into the ground, the air getting knocked out of his lungs. She stopped, turning to stare down at him with regret in her eyes, but again, she turned and kept running._

_"Wendy! Wendy don't go!" His voice wasn't lost, but the little girl trembled with indecision; pausing mid-step, she thought it over. It had been so long, too long...What would her brother say if she brought him with her? Really, he wouldn't mind, would he...? _

_"Please Wendy, don't go, it's been too long since I've seen you," Jellal's voice cracked as he sat up, and that was the deciding factor. Turning, she whimpered and ran to his side, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around him. Glad, he responded, pulling her into his lap and rocking her back and forth. They clung to each other, sitting in the middle of a dirt-covered, deserted alleyway. _

_"Nii-san..." she cried, clinging to his front. Her dark-blue dress settled against her knees, rising up and bunching around her petite thighs. "I-I missed you."_

_"I missed you too, Wendy," the pain in his voice was amplified by the fact that she really did miss him; that could only mean there was one person holding her back from coming home. And that one person was nowhere to be found...yet. "How've you been?"_

_"I've been good," she stayed in his arms as he stood, moving to the side where they were shaded from prying eyes. He held up her, despite the fact she'd grown so much. Her short, blue hair had grown, now reaching the middle of her back. A part of him blew up with pride at how adorable she had gotten (not that she wasn't cute before), and he smiled at his little sister, kissing her forehead lovingly. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling close. "How about you, Nii-san?"_

_"Well," he decided to tell her, because she had every right to know. And maybe, just maybe, she'd come back. "I got married."_

_She gasped softly; when had this been? She observed her older brother's face and indeed found some semblance of happiness within his tea-green eyes. Happily, she clapped her hands together. "Really? When?!" _

_He laughed. He knew it would make her happy, and really, a part of him wanted to talk about Erza; why that was, he had no idea. He reminded himself to apologize to her once he got back, for he had run off so suddenly and without an explanation. "Yesterday. Her name's Erza Scarlet and she's from Magnolia. She was on the war council there, and it was an arranged marriage."_

_"Is she strong?" Wendy had heard stories of the Magnolia council and the strength they possessed, but she had never witnessed first-hand. Her brother, on the other hand, was married to one of them! _

_Flashes of her fight with Deliora flew through his mind, and just her inner strength, really, was phenomenal. "Incredibly."_

_"Do you love her?"_

_"I-" He stopped, unsure of the answer. Did he like her? Most definitely. Erza Fernandes was extremely likable. Did he lust for her? That one went through his mind and he had to restrain himself to keep from blushing; he certainly lusted for her, for she was perfect and beautiful and kindhearted. Did he love her? "I'm-"_

_"Wendy, get away from him," a cool voice interrupted him, and Wendy gasped, looking over her shoulder to find her guardian standing a few feet away, anger written across his face._

_Jellal found himself staring at a mirror-image of himself. "Brother."_

_"_Your Highness_," he spat back, the title rolling off his tongue. _

_Jellal stared hard at the man standing across the street, his posture stiff as a board. His brother was the one who he had been looking for, and here he was. Angered, cold, and demanding Wendy back._

_"Mystogan-nii," Wendy spoke up, her timid voice quiet. "Can't we-"_

_"Shush, Wendy," Mystogan answered coolly. He didn't want to snap at his little angel, but they had to leave and they had to leave now. He couldn't have Jellal knowing the truth so early in the game, for it would ruin everyone's chances of survival. He couldn't let him use Wendy's naivety to his advantage, and he couldn't have him convince her to come back to the castle with him. "Come here, now."_

_"But-"_

_"_Now_."_

_At this point, Jellal himself was mad. Steaming, in fact. Who was his brother to treat Wendy the way he was? True, he had raised her over the last few years, but nonetheless that didn't give him a reason to believe he could get her to do whatever he wanted. She most definitely wasn't an animal to be pushed around. "Stop it, Myst."_

_The shrouded man turned sharply to glare at the king. The shortened name brought back too many painful memories of smiles, sunlight and days spent on the castle grounds playing games and being mere children without the weight of the world on their shoulders. It reminded him how drastically things had changed, how much more they were going to change. And he didn't like that, not one bit. "You lost the right to use that nickname on that night so many years ago, Your Highness. Wendy, come now."_

_Whimpering silently under her breath, she struggled out of Jellal's grasp and ran over to her other brother, clinging to his cloak and pressing her face into his side. She knew he was mad but she was upset with him, too; it had been too long since she'd seen her other brother. Really, she'd only heard stories of the man, but she'd finally gotten a chance to meet him. Yet at the same time, she didn't want to anger the one who raised her; in an attempt to quell her sadness, Mystogan ran a hand through her hair, bending slightly to kiss the top of her head before picking her up and letting her cling to the front of his cloak. His little sister was his will to live, but his morals and actions called for strict actions when necessary. An example being now. Turning, he began in the direction of their current location, spending no more breath on his twin._

_"Mystogan, wait! Can't we at least talk?!" Jellal called after his brother. He stood there, watching their retreating backs for a moment, before deciding against running after them. Fighting the tears of dejection, he gathered himself up and turned, staring up at his castle and slowly started walking. It wasn't as if he expected anything different; really, he expected worst. A fist fight or physical conflict of sorts._

_"You killed them," was the soft whispered that reached his ears._

_He couldn't look back._

His eyes hardened slightly, remembering his hope that Jellal would keep their parents safe. Quite the contrary; however, he was glad Ultear was at least safe. Safe and happy, to the best of his knowledge, and married. But now...matters were to be settled, one way or another.

Yes, Erza felt very lied to at this point.

* * *

**A/N: So there's a huge family function coming up in August for my cousin, who's like my sister; so, I'm heavily involved. Furthermore, family from England is flying in and staying over at my house. This means I probably won't have time to write. So I pulled out all the stops for this chapter which, going by my never-used updating schedule (biweekly), covers me for a month. Hopefully, I can update once more before school starts, and we can ease into updates that are worth the wait and tolerable. That being said, this chapter is a whooping 11k so you all better show me some love with those predictions and thoughts of yours! On a side note, I was rereading the reviews again for some motivation, and found out there's actual a couple of you who've guessed aspects of the story correctly. Wow guys, you're all smart :D**

**Recap of this chapter (Since it was a lot to take in): The gang and Jellal got into a fight with Brain and Midnight, which was a ploy set up by Faust to lure both Jellal and Erza into the hidden, abandoned wing of the castle, which belonged to Jellal's parents. When pushed through the frame that is the only entrance, the duo were startled but Jellal silently promises to keep Erza safe with a kiss. She begins to look around, realizing she didn't know what part of the castle this was despite having explored every inch of it. Just as she begins to ask Jellal, Faust steps out, angering Jellal. However, the man offers to tell Erza the truth about Jellal's parents, lying and telling her that Jellal murdered them. As Faust tells Erza a made up story, Jellal remembers the night his parents were murdered by his brother, Siegrain, who was the third of a pair of triplets; him, Jellal and Mystogan. It is revealed that the night of the murder, Mystogan had been having visions beforehand but hadn't known to step in, and decides to hand the rights of the crown prince to Jellal before fleeing with Wendy, hoping Jellal could and would keep their parents safe. Siegrain laughs, and murders both his parents, before leaving the room with Jellal in it, still shocked. The memory ends with Jellal falling to his knees and screaming. Back in reality, Erza is shocked and asks if this is true, and when Jellal decides to keep the truth in the dark, she slaps him. However, a surprise appearance from Siegrain proves Faust's story fake and Erza begins to wonder what was going on and how much she was lied to. As Siegrain begins mocking Jellal by commenting on Erza's body and sexual abilities, Wendy and Mystogan arrive, the latter falling into a ready stance. The chapter ends with the trio staring each other down. **

**Finally, I hope you all enjoyed the bit about Jellal's past and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter overall! Lord knows how long I took to write it, apologies for that...battle scenes are not my thing (I had like 50 FT Wiki pages open and the very thought will give me nightmares I hope you all are grateful). So I hope Jellal's heavy past lived up to your expectations; leave your predictions and thoughts in the reviews, as always, but alas, until next time! /dramatically exits as Tony Stark would/**


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